


Crossing The Line

by bec2224



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Anti-Michael, Character Bashing, Explicit Language, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-19
Updated: 2013-08-19
Packaged: 2017-12-23 23:30:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 40,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/932369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bec2224/pseuds/bec2224
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are invisible lines that not even your friends should ever cross.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Return to the Past

Brian shut the door to the loft, he tossed his small bag onto the floor next to the door and headed to the fridge, opening the door he removed a bottle of water and tossed the cap towards the trash can, he missed. He watched as it hit the rim and fell between the can and the island. Setting the bottle onto the counter top he bent down and pushed the trashcan out of the way, spying the cap he noticed a crumbled up piece of paper next to the cap, picking both up he tossed the cap into the can. He stood and unrolled the paper. It was a wrapper off a stick of Wrigley's gum. Thinking that it must have been the cleaning lady he tossed it into the trash can.

Moving to the bathroom he relieved his bladder, washed his hands and threw some water on his face. Grabbing a towel he dried off, turning he headed to his bedroom, toeing his shoes off he removed his cell phone and wallet and threw them on the nightstand. He dropped his pants and the towel onto the floor, leaving them lying on top of his shoes. Raising his arms he removed his shirt and tossed it behind him, throwing himself onto the bed he sighed. Stretching his arms out he willed his body to relax. He jerked when the phone started to ring, deciding to let it go to the machine he tried to relax once more.

'Do what you have to do at the beep.'

"Brian, are you there? It's Michael, pick up...well I guess you're not there, so call me as soon as you get this, I'll try your cell phone...call me, it's important you asshole."

He was too tired for this shit; he's just spent a week in New York with Justin and six and half hours in a car driving home. He was beat.

A minute later his cell started to ring, he thought of ignoring that too. But he decided to just take care of it or he would call all night long. He reached over and picked it up. "Michael."

"Where are you Brian?" I called the loft you didn't answer. You said you'd be home today." Michael didn't even stop to breath.

"I am at home Michael, I just got in. I'm tired; I didn't even have a chance to piss before you called. And now I'm going to bed so good night."

"But Brian..."

Brian closed the phone and tossed it on the bed table.

Dear God, not again he thought, he couldn't take this. Ever since Justin had moved to New York eight months ago Brian saw more and more of the "old" Mikey, the Michael that followed him around and phoned him a couple times a day. He knew what he thought he was doing, helping him get over being "dumped" by Justin of course. But what Michael didn't know was that Brian wasn't dumped, he spoke to Justin almost every day, and he saw him a few weekends every month when he went to New York. He'd tried to explain this to Michael more than a few times but Michael was in denial about the entire thing. In his mind Justin was gone, he'd even said that to Brian once or twice. He'd told Brian that he'd have to get used to the idea of it just being the two of them again, Rage and his sidekick Zephyr, together again.

No matter what Brian said Michael refused to listen, so finally Brian had just stopped talking to him about Justin. He couldn't make Michael understand what he was feeling, because maybe he didn't understand it himself. Here lately those things that used to make Brian happy, going to Woody's or Babylon just didn't feel the same. Babylon wasn't there for fun anymore; now that the night's receipts went into Brian's in-box at Kinnetics in the morning he viewed the business as exactly what it was...his business. Sure, a blow job here or there, either in his private room or the open backroom still worked for him. But spending hours hanging out there just didn't have the same feeling. He'd tried to get Mikey to understand but hearing Michael bitch about Brian not wanting to go out so much proved that Michael didn't understand.

Between traveling to New York, working with the new clients at Kinnetics or stopping in at Babylon twice a week these day Brian had enough on his plate.

And then there were his phone calls with Lindsay. Something was going on in The Great White North, and whatever the hell it was they were trying to keep it from him. After setting up a schedule to coincide with his trips to New York or any client meetings and/or trips he had to make they suddenly, after seven months tell him it's best if he doesn't visit for a while. He still talked to Gus on the phone, and those phone calls are what gave him his second clue that something was going on. About two weeks ago Gus told his dada that mema and mommy were fighting all the time, just yelling and screaming about everything. He said they kept making JR cry, but Gus being a big boy didn't cry. But Brian could hear the fear in his voice, a small quiver that let Brian know his boy was scared when his mothers fought. When Brian tried to talk to Linz about it she denied anything was wrong, that Gus was mistaken, that he was blowing little discussions into full blown arguments, which they weren't, but Brian could hear that fake waspy-ness that Lindsay took on when she was lying. He'd told Justin in New York this past weekend that he'd had enough, he was getting Lindsay on the phone tomorrow and she either told him what was going on or else he was coming up there.

His cell suddenly broke the silence, reaching over he grabbed it and checked the caller id. Smiling he pressed a button and brought the phone to his ear.

"Hey"

"So, what are you wearing?"

Brian laughed out-loud, "Jesus Christ Justin didn't I just have my dick up your ass about six hours ago?"

"Yes you did." Brian could almost see Justin's smile through the phone line. "And you did a tremendous job too, did I mention that?"

"Yeah, I think you did a time or two, but hell, it's always good to hear." Brian told him with laugh.

"You sound beat?"

"Nah, I'm fine, getting ready to go out." Brian bragged, but he's words were starting to slur together, he was tired. Bone tired.

"Are your clothes just lying on the floor of the bedroom?" Brian pictured Justin's smirk that accompanied those words.

"Fuck you." Brian smiled as he turned over, grabbing Justin's pillow he pulled it towards his chest.

"I love you Brian, sweet dreams." Justin whispered as he hung up the phone

Half asleep Brian whispered into the fading light, "Sweet dreams Sunshine."

*******

Brian was late, he'd fallen asleep without setting the alarm clock last night, and he had told Cynthia he'd be in the office by seven am with the signed contracts. Cynthia had called at seven-thirty, making innuendos about why Brian was late; he called her a foul name and slammed the phone down with the bitch's laughter still ringing in his ears. And the damn elevator was broken again so Brian took off down the stairs still knotting his tie. As he turned the corner on the third floor he almost knocked down the little old lady from the apartment under his. It was owned by a hot young architect that Brian had had about an hour after he moved in about four or five years ago, but he'd been sent off to some place outside the US for a year and his mother was staying at his place. All this information had been given to him by Justin who talked to every fucking person in the building sooner or later.

"Jesus Christ, where's the fire Hot Stuff." Brian would have described her as cute, except for this annoying snorting thing she did every time she flirted with them, Justin told him she was giggling...whatever the hell it was, it annoyed Brian. Plus Justin thought it was cute every time she called Brian 'Hot-Stuff'." 

"Sorry ma'm, didn't see you there." The witch had to be 85 years old at least. And short, four feet eight inches at the most. It was perfectly normal not to be looking down that low in Brian's mind, no wonder he plowed into her. He stepped around her trying to get to the stairs.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you, next time I visit my sister in Ohio can I use your house boy?" She called out after him.

"Mrs. Cooper I already told you Justin is in New York." Brian didn't even stop, he kept moving.

"I'm old, not stupid" the woman snapped, "I don't mean Blondie; I'm talking about that little brown haired man." She yelled down the hall.

"Whatever, I don't have a house boy Mrs. Cooper, see ya later." Brian turned the corner and headed down the stairs, he could hear her yelling but couldn't make out what she said, he didn't have time to stop and chat, he was already late.

Mrs. Cooper watched as Brian stepped out of her sight, "you don't have a house boy? Well who the fuck is that guy whose going in and out of your apartment whenever you're not here...Hot Stuff you hear me?"

When she didn't get an answer the small woman shrugged her shoulders and went back into her son's apartment.

******

"We need to get this done as quickly as possible, M & T want this ad rolled out as quickly as we can, time is of the essence here folks." Brian yelled to Ted and Cynthia as they both headed out of his office. They'd been given their jobs and Brian trusted them to get it done.

He sorted through his in-box, he knew he had a long night a head of him, he decided to just start at the top and go through everything one at a time.

The intercom buzzed, "Mr. Kinney"

Brian hit the button, "Yes Janet?"

"Mr. Novotney is here to see you sir, he'd like to know if you have a minute to discuss something important."

Brian dropped his head to the desk. "Shit"

After a few seconds it buzzed again, "Mr. Kinney would you like me to make him an appointment."

Brian laughed, Cynthia had regaled him with Janet's thoughts on one Michael Novotney, Janet thought he was a small minded man who was not very mature when he didn't get his own way. "She has no idea," Brian had mumbled when Cynthia had told him this.

Brian pressed the button, "No, let him in."

No sooner did he release the button than Michael was through the door. "I thought you were coming home yesterday, what the hell happened?"

"Good morning to you too Michael. Aren't you supposed to be opening your shop?" Brian said as looked up at his friend. Unfortunately it was at that moment that he remembered Justin making fun of what he called his 'Mikey faces'. He'd even pointed out his favorite one to Brian.

It was that face that Michael wore at the moment, his eyes were all scrunched up and his lips were shrunken to form a small tight circle. Justin had told Brian it reminded him of an asshole, all scrunched up and wrinkled the same as a rectum. 

"I called you like ten times in the past few days, why didn't you answer me? And the shop can wait a few minute, I was really worried Brian." He moved to stand directly in-front of Brian's desk, his face stayed in it's twisted up position. 

"Michael I told you when I left last week that I wouldn't be home till late Sunday night, not Sunday morning, nor afternoon. Night is what I said, late. And I talked to you last night." 

"And you hung up on me. And you couldn't have called me during the week?" Brian watched as Michael just flopped down into one of the white leather chairs positioned in front of Brian's desk, next time he'd remind Ted and Cynthia to return them to the table, he didn't want to have to watch Michael treating the two thousand dollar chairs so recklessly again. 

"Michael what is so important that you had to drop everything to run down here first thing in the morning?" Brian said as he picked up one of the papers resting in front of him. Pretending to scan it he could hear the metal studs on Michael's jean pockets rubbing against the leather as the shorter man got comfortable. 

"Well, it's not important, not really. But you were supposed to call me and when you didn't I got worried." 

Brian dropped the paper and looked directly at his friend. "Worried about what exactly?" 

Michael looked at him like he was nuts. At least his face wasn't screwed up anymore, now his eyes were practically bulging. "Worried about you you asshole, you didn't call me, you were in New York, if anything had happened I wouldn't have been able to help you." 

Brian rolled his eyes. "How have I managed to survive so long without you being by my side every fucking minute?" 

"You know what I mean...if you got too drunk, or couldn't find your way to your hotel." Michael punctuated his words with a nod of his head. 

"If I got drunk Justin was sure to remember where he lives, you do remember Justin don't you Michael. Justin, my partner, the guy who lives in New York and travels around the city on a day to day basis, Justin the man I stayed with." 

"Yeah, Justin the little brat who dumped you first chance he got. That..." 

Brian quickly snatched up the pile of papers again, leaning back in his chair he cut Michael off, "Michael, I have work to do, I'll see you later." 

Michael moved to sit on the edge of his chair. "But Brian I haven't seen you all fucking week. I was hoping we could make plans to go to Babylon again, it's been so long since we've been there." 

"It hasn't been that long, we were just there the night before I left, so go open your shop, pretend you're a big boy and make a few pennies." Brian didn't even bother to look up. 

"Come on, at least you could come to the diner, we can have a long talk over breakfast, catch up on what we've missed in each others lives." Michael was now in little boy mode. Eyes lit up, face filled with exuberance. 

"Michael I don't have time for this right now." 

"Why are you being such an asshole?" Michael quietly ask, when Brian looked up he noticed that Michael had gone into what Justin called full pout mode, his shoulders were pulled in, his face was set long, his eyes and mouth in a permanent droop. In the past this is the face that could get Brian to do what Michael wanted, it would get him to relent his anger and give in to his friend. 

But those days were gone. 

During his times in New York he and Justin spent a lot of time talking about moments like this one. Moments where Michael and the rest of his fucked up Liberty Avenue family could push him into what ever they wanted, things they would do and say that would get Brian to clean up their messes or fuck up his own life so that their lives ran smoother. Justin had finally made him see this, using his common sense and his intelligence he'd finally gotten Brian to recognize what he did and what they did. Things were going to change and maybe this was the time to start making those changes. 

"Michael I'm not being an asshole, I have deadlines here that need to be met. People depend on me doing my job so they can do theirs; I can't just slack off and close down whenever I want to..." 

"No but you can drop everything and run off to New York." Michael fired back. 

Brian stood, "Michael I don't 'DROP' anything, these trips are planned for, they are mixed with business, meetings are set while I'm in New York. Plus I have two co-workers who can handle anything that's thrown at them work-wise, and they both do brilliant fucking jobs. And Justin is my partner, no matter what you think, we are partners. I don't need your permission nor have I ever asked you for it, if I want to see my partner I will see him. If you don't like it well then that's just too fucking bad. I have never once, not now or at any time in the past have I ever questioned your and the professors decisions regarding one another so please give me the same fucking respect I give you." 

"What the hell crawled up your ass?" Michael demanded. "I just came here to see my friend, to see if he wanted to maybe, just maybe spend some time with his best friend. But I see spending all that time in New York with the..." 

Brian had to physically hold himself back from heading around the desk. "Stop it. Stop right there. Don't go any farther. I'm sick and tired of the way you put Justin down, and it's gonna stop right now, do you hear me?" 

Michael just stared at him for a few seconds. 

"Do you hear me Michael?" Brian repeated. 

The mouth went into a tight circle again, the eyes scrunched until almost shut. "What are you going to do, hit me again?" 

"Michael!" 

Both men turned towards the doorway; Ted was standing a few feet inside the door. "I think it's time for you to go Michael." 

Michael face showed his surprise. He turned back and stared at Brian, he knew that Brian wouldn't let Teddy talk to him this way. But Brian had turned his back and wasn't looking at either of them. He turned back to Ted. "You're throwing me out Ted?" 

"I'm asking you to leave. Whatever it is you need to discuss with Brian can wait till you are both someplace more appropriate, Kinnetic is not that place." 

Michael turned back and looked at Brian once more, but he got no satisfaction from that corner, Brian still had his back to the two men. 

"Fine I'll go. Since it seems I'm not wanted here." 

Ted put out his arm directing Michael to the door. He waited til Michael walked past him, he nodded at Cynthia who stood at the door and she walked with Michael the rest of the way to the front doors of Kinnetic. Reaching out he closed the door to the office and turned around to look at Brian. 

"I'm sorry for interrupting but..." 

Brian turned and sat down once more at his desk, reaching out he picked up the papers once more and started to scan through them. 

Ted nodded and turned to leave. 

"Theodore" 

Ted stopped and turned back, prepared to receive Brian's wrath. 

"Never apologize for doing the right thing Theodore." Brian said. "And Ted." 

Ted looked up, waiting to see what Brian would say next. "Yes?" 

Brian looked up at the other man. "Thank you." 

Ted smiled, "You're welcome Boss." 

****** 

Debbie let the doors swing shut behind her; she scanned her eyes over the diner and noticed her son sitting in one of the booths. 

"Baby!" She exclaimed as she moved towards the booth. She noticed half way there the droopy lip and knew Michael was in one of his funks. 

Sliding into the seat next to him she threw her arm over his shoulders. "What's the matter now, they kill off one of those super heroes again?" 

"Yeah, I'm thinking of killing off Rage." 

Michael's sulking voice told her more than she needed to know...Brian. 

Pulling her arm back she dropped her eyes to the table top. "What did he do now?" 

"You should have heard him mom, yelling at me, telling me I don't show him any respect. Where the fuck is this coming from? Wait, I know where it's coming from, it's that little blond shit living off Brian's dollar in New York, that's where." 

"Michael did you happen to say something stupid about Justin again?" Debbie questioned. She knew her kid like she knew the back of her own hand. 

"Who the fuck cares what I said about the little snot, I'm telling you that Brian yelled at me Ma, he yelled," Michael cried. "And then you'll never guess what Ted did, not in a million years would you believe what Ted did." 

A thought suddenly struck Debbie, "Michael, where the hell were you when Brian yelled at you?" 

"WHAT DOES THAT MATTER; HE YELLED AT ME MA...YELLED AT ME-HIS BEST FRIEND!" 

Debbie slowly counted to ten; she was really getting tired of these tantrums of Michael's. 

It wasn't until she'd been living with Carl for quite awhile that she noticed how quiet Carl became after certain visits from her son. So, being Debbie she asks him what the fuck was wrong. At first she didn't believe him when he straight out told her her kid was a spoiled brat, that's the exact words Carl used. There was no fucking way her kid was a spoiled brat. But after weeks of arguing about it, and days of silence, Debbie started to notice things. Just little things at first. Like how Michael reacted to different situations. So she watched some more and she didn't like what she found. How for instance after the smallest little actions that didn't sit well with her son he would treat her or others just plain shitty. First, Mel cancels a visit with JR because of having to go to Florida to see her ailing grandmother, and then Emmett telling Michael that some clothes he purchased for Hunter weren't 'in' anymore. Or finding out that Debbie was re-doing Michael's former bedroom as a combination office/sewing room for her and Carl. All of those instances had Michael throwing horrible temper tantrums for days, sometimes weeks. 

But what really opened her eyes to Michael's bratty-ness was when ever someone mentioned Justin, then her big-hearted son turned into a fucking ogre. That led to her questioning how much of a big heart Michael had; sure if it was something he agreed with he would go out of his way to help someone, but if he didn't agree, well look out. She'd tried to talk to him about it, quite a few times, but he never listened, never had the time. So she tried talking to Ben, Ben told her Michael was passionate about things, and sometimes that passion could turn into being misconstrued as spoiled or bratty, but if you just talked to him about it, he'd come around sooner or later. 

But when she brought up Michael's feelings about Justin Ben sighed and had stated that the 'Justin issue' was a whole other kettle of fish. He talked about jealousy and obsessions, which most went over Debbie's head, but she got the gist of it. Whenever it came to Michael's relationship with Brian Kinney, well that's when it got ugly. Ben said that Michael and Brian had used each other as crutches for years, and since meeting Justin Brian's need for Michael had lessened, whereas Michael's need for Brian hadn't, and he acted out, and that was usually directed at Justin, because Michael couldn't attack Brian without pissing him off. And since Justin was the more mature of the two, he just ignored Michael. 

When Debbie had asked Ben what they were going to do about it, Ben said there really wasn't anything to do. He'd talked to Michael about it off and on over the years and yes, Michael could get nasty to Justin, but he didn't think Michael would ever actually hurt Justin. 

She shook her head to clear away her thoughts and looked at her son. "Michael what did you say about Justin?" 

"Ma you're not listening..." 

"Oh I'm listening, but apparently you're not. I've told you and Ben has told you, you keep bitching about Justin to Brian and you're going to end up getting a shit load of trouble." 

"But he's my best friend..." 

"Prove it." Debbie snapped and stood up. "Prove that he's your best friend. Let him live his own fucking life without any interference from you. He loves that fucking kid, so whatever it is that crawled up your butt the night that kid came into Brian's life well, you're just got to have to get over it. They're together, who knows if it will last, I pray to God it does, and if it does you are going to be very sorry one day that you couldn't let it go." 

She turned and walked away. 

"But Maaaaaa..." Michael whined. He dropped his head to the table and thumped his fist onto the tabletop. Sitting back up he whispered to himself. "Nobody understands, he protects me, I protect him. Always has, always will...nobody understands." 

******* 

The steam swirled as Brian stepped out of the shower, he finished toweling off and then wrapped the damp towel around his waist, moving to the sink he ran his fingers threw his hair. He proceeded to check for any gray hairs, his stylist told him that he was still a bit young to worry about 'em, but Brian just had to make sure. 

He shaved and rinsed his face, brushed his teeth, smiling as he replaced his toothbrush next to Justin's 'Pitt's toothbrush' as the blond man called it. When he left Justin left a full set of his toiletries here for when he visited home, of which one was coming up in two weeks. Brian couldn't wait. He planned to lock the young man up in the loft after he let him visit with Jennifer and Debbie of course, Emmett would have to wait, Brian wasn't putting up with the 'Emmett & Justin Gayfest'. Oh no, but he figured after a few hugs a kiss or two with the moms he could spirit him away to the loft for the rest of the five days. He reached for his aftershave. 

"Shit" Brian snapped when the top of the bottle fell into the sink and the expensive cologne splashed all over his hand. How the hell had that happened, Brian knew he was anal about closing his colognes and lotions, hell it even extended to his liquors and water bottles. He was constantly making sure the tops were screwed on tight. Slapping a bit of the spill onto his face and neck he wiped the excess up and washed his hands. Making sure the top was screwed on tight he replaced it and closed the mirrored door and moved into his bedroom. 

Dressing quickly he scanned the loft once and grabbing his briefcase he headed off to start his day. 

******* 

"Cynthia is everything ready?" Brian asked as he walked to the conference area. 

"Yep, we're ready when you are." Cynthia voiced as she came through the outer door. "Here, Janet just handed this to me." 

Brian glanced down at the pink message note. "Michael." 

Cynthia smiled, "As Janet just informed me, it's Wednesday, must be Novotney." 

Brian looked up, "Does not need a call back, what the hell does that mean?" 

Cynthia took a seat at the table, placing a file on the table she started sorting through the papers within. "Well, it's her new message system, every message gets a ticket now, not just the ones that need call backs. And according to Janet Michael calls you every Wednesday at nine fifteen sharp, every Wednesday during the weekly meeting, but he never leaves a message, just wants to know if you are in the office." 

"And after all this time she feels the need to inform me of this?" Brian shook the paper in his hand, he then shook his head while crumpling the paper and tossed it into the nearest wastebasket. 

Cynthia shrugged and moved to the table. 

Brian's attention turned to the doorway, he smiled as Ted and a few more people entered the room 

"Let's get down to business people, tell me what's going on in your little corner of Kinnetic." Brian took a seat as the meeting began the message about Michael totally forgotten about. 

******* 

Brian moved through the chains and looked around him. No matter how many times he entered Babylon during daylight hours he would never get used to seeing the empty dance floor. It's like he was in a different place, it didn't feel like Babylon at all. Walking on the empty floor he listened as his footsteps echoed in the silence. Taking the stairs two at a time he moved along the cat walk and headed for his office. Opening the door he spied Ted sitting at his own desk on the other side of the room from Brian's. 

"Theodore, how many hours do you put in in a day?" Brian said as he removed his jacket and tossed it onto the sofa. 

"Only as many as I need Boss." Ted answered. 

Brian stopped and looked at him. "Okay, that's twice now, I don't want to hear it again." 

Ted looked up at him, "hear what?" 

"Boss. It's either Brian or 'God Kinney' one or the other, but not boss, understood." Brian told him as he took a seat, grabbing a pen he started going over the columns in front of him. He didn't need to, he trusted Ted, but it was his business, his name on the dotted line, he knew even Ted could make a mistake. 

Ted smiled. "Got it Bo...Brian. Didn't know it was a problem." 

"You start doing it during the job next thing you know you're throwing it around at Woody's or at a family dinner. I don't want people bitching at me for making you call me that."

"So got anything we need to discuss?" Brian questioned before Ted could comment. 

"Ah...well not business but I was...ah...wondering." 

"What?" Brian turned the first page over and started on the second sheet. 

"Have you talked to Michael in the last week?" 

Brian shook his head, "Not since you tossed his ass out of my office why?" 

"Emmett told me he saw Michael here at Babylon last night, said that he was drunk. I wondered if maybe you two had spoken and if...well..." 

"Spit it out Theodore." Brian told him. 

"Well, I know that Ben is a bit upset with Michael with all the time he's spending with you at night..." Ted began. 

Brian dropped the sheets onto the desk and looked up at Ted. "Hold up...Michael told Ben he's spending his evenings with me?" 

Ted nodded, "well yeah, said that since Justin's been in New York he needs to...well..." 

"Ted." 

"He said he needs to keep an eye on you, that you're drinking and tricking is getting out of hand again, but I talked to the bouncers and they said you..." 

"...that I wasn't even here at night." Brian finished. 

"Yeah, that's what they said." Ted leaned forward. "Brian what the hell is Michael up too? I know that you two aren't getting along at the moment but I didn't think you were drinking or tricking anymore, well not on the nights that I've been here. Hell you haven't even been here that much since we re-opened the place. I know you spend quite a bit of time at Kinnetic and your weekends have been taken up with your trips to see Justin." 

"And what did Emmett say when you said that." 

Ted sat up a bit, "I didn't tell Emmett anything, didn't think it was any of his business." 

The taller man tossed his pen onto the desktop and smirked at the older man. "Good boy Theodore. And to answer your question I don't know what Michael is up too. Frankly I haven't been spending much time with him, not with the way he's been acting lately." 

"Tell me about it. Blake can barely stand to be in the same room with him when Justin's name is mentioned. I know that the two of them haven't really spent any time together but Blake has this respect for Justin you know, after I told him about the bashing and the..." 

"Let's get back to the Ben thing. What has Ben said to you?" 

"Not much really, just that Michael can't be out with you all night, working in the shop all day and expect to get any rest." 

"So, the family thinks that Michael is with me, that I'm once again corrupting Little Saint Michael and taking him away from hearth and home?" Brian stood, moving towards the small wet bar he'd had installed he poured himself two fingers of Beam. He grabbed a small bottle of ginger ale. Raising the bottle he waved it at Ted. At Ted's nod he poured the clear soda over some ice and handed the glass off to Ted. 

"If Michael isn't with you than where is he?" Ted questioned. 

"Good question Theodore, good question." Brian whispered, watching the dark liquid swirl in his glass. 

******* 

Brian entered Red Cape Comics and watched as Michael helped two young teenagers make their selections. It wasn't until he was heading towards the register that Michael spied his friend. He stopped for a moment then moved to the register and rang the customers out. 

As soon as the door shut Michael wasted no time. "What the hell are you doing here?" 

"I thought we needed to talk." 

"After having your best friend Teddy throw me out what more is there to say." Michael snapped. 

"Ted IS my friend. Here lately he seems to be a better friend then you were." Brian told him quietly. He'd seen Michael flinched when he used the past tense. 

"Then why aren't you with your new best friend?" Michael turned his back and started moving action figures around. 

"Michael what the hell is the matter with you?" Brian gently asks the man. 

Michael spun around so quickly he had to catch himself on the counter. "Wrong with me...ME! There's nothing wrong with me, I'm not the one acting like a stranger." 

"Is that why you are lying to your husband, telling him you're with me when you're not?" Brian watched Michael's eyes practically pop out of his head. 

"Fuck you, who the hell are you to ask me anything about MY relationship?" Michael demanded. 

"But you can ask me anything about mine, is that right?" 

Michael laughed. "You don't have relationships; you've just moved your fucks to out of state." 

Brian stared at him for a few seconds, and then he turned and walked out the door. 

Michael stood and listened to the bells over the door. He looked like he wanted to cry. 

******* 

The loft door slammed shut and Brian pushed Justin up against it. 

"Welcome home Sunshine." Brian said as he pressed his lips against the younger man. 

Tongues searching mouths, air being held in lungs as long as it could. 

"I missed you." Justin whispered against Brian's lips. 

"All hot and horny in New York were you?" Brian whispered back. 

"Yeah..." 

Justin suddenly found himself thrown over Brian's shoulder and all he could see were Brian's Prada boots as they moved towards the bedroom. 

"Brian! Put me down." Justin laughed. He was starting to feel dizzy. 

"Anything you say Sunshine." And Justin suddenly found him self bouncing upon the bed. 

"I don't think I'm the only one who's hot and horny am I Brian?" The smaller man questioned. Reaching up he didn't give Brian time to say or do anything, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket he pulled him over him. Not letting go of the jacket he proceeded to remove it in one move. Shirt tales were pulled from pants; he felt movement at the bottom of the bed, Brian pushing his boots off probably. Toeing his own shoes he gave them a flip and ran a sock clad foot up a cloth covered leg. Before Brian even had his shirt the entire way off Justin went to work on his pants. A hand was suddenly placed over his. 

"Don't break the zipper. I've spent too much fuckin' money in the past few months on re-tailoring. Take 'em off, but don't rip or tear anything, got it?" 

Justin smiled. "Got it. Gone but not destroyed." 

Brian smiled back, "exactly. And no one thinks we communicate." 

A hand gripped his cock, fingers moved around his slit. Hell Justin thought, he'd never even noticed when Brian had removed his pants. 

Only the sound of deep breaths and moans filled the loft, a snap of a cap, tear of the wrapper and a loud sigh. 

"God" Justin exclaimed. "Yes" 

"Justin" Brian murmured. "Justin" 

****** 

"I'm not moving till I have to leave." Justin said without opening his eyes. 

"Yeah right, first sign of food and you'll be leaving tracks on the sheets." Brian smirked as he reached for the water bottle, taking a large swig he handed the bottle to Justin. Sitting up the blond took a large drink and passed the bottle back to Brian. Brian recapped it, tested the cap and placed it back on the table. 

"You won't feed me in bed?" Justin asked as he slid his arm down Brian's chest and snuggled in. 

"One thousand count sheets." Brian said, his lips pressed against the top of Justin's head. 

"Oh, no need for any further explanation." Justin laughed. "The three hundreds weren't good enough for you?" 

"What can I say, I like the best." Brian said as he brushed his nose through the silky strands of Justin's hair. "In everything." 

Justin smiled and closed his eyes. 

****** 

"I did not steal your underwear Brian." Justin laughed tossing a napkin at him over the coffee table. He was seated on the floor mirroring Brian directly a cross the table from him with his back against the sofa. "I only did that once. And I was seventeen. Who'd blame me?" 

Brian waved his chopstick at him, "all I know is that I had them in New York but now I can't find them." 

"Did you check the laundry receipt?" Justin asks him. "'Cause I saw you put them in the dirty laundry bag in my bedroom the last time we were in there. You picked them up off the floor and shoved them into the bag. The blue silk boxers right? The ones that shift colors when the light hits them?" 

Brian laughed "spending an awful lot of thought on my undies aren't we sonny boy?" 

"It's an artist thing." Justin winked, "the shifting of the light on the textures and colors. Artist thing." 

Brian laughed, "Yeah right. Just give them back." 

"Where's the receipt Brian?" Justin stood up; he knew where the receipt was he didn't have to ask, but not letting Brian know he knew  
everything was a good thing. 

"In the short file drawer marked..." Brian started. 

"Receipts." Justin said as he made his way to the drawer. 

Brian watched the light shift against the blond of Justin's hair, he too understood about light and texture, did this make him an artist he wondered with a smile. 

"Got it." Justin waived a small piece of paper in the air. Standing he headed back towards the picnic spread out over the coffee table. 

"A hah! One/blue/silk/short pants. Here they are, on the receipt. Now, who lost what?" 

Brian didn't say anything, just snatched the receipt out of Justin's hand and read it for himself. "Short pants?" 

"Yeah that's what Chermin's Laundry calls them, you never noticed?" 

"That's what I have you for right?" Brian tossed the scrap of paper onto the table top. 

"Maybe they're lying on someone else's floor right now? Or the backroom at Babylon, did you check the Lost Box?" Justin said taking his seat on the floor and grabbing a cardboard box. Using the small plastic white fork that came with the meal he stab a hunk of Gen Tso and started to chew. He never looked up. 

"Justin" Brian quietly said. 

"Justin" Brian repeated when he didn't look up. 

The blond slowly raised his head, "yeah?" 

Brian shook his head, "They're not lying on anyone else's floor right now, and they sure as hell aren't in the Lost Box, okay?" 

Justin smiled. He got it. "Okay." 

There had been no promises made, no new rules outlined this time. They both understood and didn't have to outline it for anyone. They didn't need to. Not this time. 

"Now, can I see your sketches little boy?" Brian asks in that hot sexy way of his. 

Justin smirked and got up to retrieve his sketchbook. "I'll show you some of the preliminary sketches I made for the show, tell me what you think." 

"Don't I always." Brian quipped as he wiped his hands on the wet-nap provided and pushed himself off the floor and up on to the sofa. 

Justin threw himself down next to Brian and flipped open the book. "Okay, remember these were only prelim, these aren't going into the show so if you want any let me know." 

It wasn't till they hit about the third sketch in before Brian saw the one he wanted, it was Brian and Gus sitting on the steps leading into the bedroom here at the loft, Brian held something in his hands, it wasn't illustrated enough to see what it was but you could see the look in Gus's eyes as he looked up at his father. Brian just smiled and tapped on the paper. "This one, I want this one." 

"I knew you would." Justin said as he tore the sheet out of the book. 

Brian started to rise when his eyes landed on the sketch directly under the one of he and Gus, it's like his legs suddenly gave out and he flopped back down onto the sofa. "Jesus" 

Justin looked up at him with a question in his eyes. "What?" 

Brian just shook his head and reaching out he ran his hand over the black and white sketch in front of him. It was of both of them, Brian and Justin; asleep in that rat hole Justin called home in New York. Both curled up, they lay next to each but the drawing gave more of a feeling that the two were just blending into each other, there was no room to see where one began or the other ended. Just one. 

"I want this one too." Brian said. "And I want to get it framed." 

"I remember drawing this." Justin whispered, he placed his hand next to Brian's, gently touching the picture. "It was the day after you left; you'd almost fallen asleep on the phone the night before. I remembered everything we'd talk about that week. The understandings we came to. My hand started drawing and this is where it took me." 

Brian nodded and slipped his hand over Justin's. "I remember too." 

Justin slowly turned and pressed his lips against Brian's. "I love you." 

Brian smiled. "I love you too." 

They just sat and tasted each other for a few moments, and then Brian suddenly pulled back and smiled. 

"What?" Justin questioned. 

"Wanna go to your house?" Brian asks. 

"Our house," Justin told him. "Where are we going to sleep?" 

"You'll be surprised at the changes one can make with a computer Sunshine." 

"You furnished the house Brian?" He could clearly hear the hurt in the boy's voice. 

Brian shook his head. "Nope, but I did buy a bed, what else do we need?" 

Justin smiled, "What the hell are we doing here then." 

****** 

Ben opened the door and noticed that there were no lights on in the house. "Michael?" he called out in vain. He knew there was no one there. He walked into the kitchen and saw the white piece of paper lying in the middle of the table. Picking it up he read the note carefully. 

-Ben: 

Doing inventory, if you need me call me on the cell phone, something's wrong with the store phone 

Love ya 

Michael- 

Ben didn't think Michael was doing inventory, he'd used that excuse two weeks ago. Picking up the house phone he dialed the store, within a few moments the answering machine picked up telling the caller that Red Cape Comics was closed for the evening and to call back during store hours. 

Walking from the kitchen he picked up his car keys and headed out again, locking the door behind him he made his way to his car. 

The drive to the comic shop took about ten minute, ten long minutes in which Ben kept telling himself that he had nothing to worry about, that Michael would be there and he'd end up feeling like a fool. 

Pulling up in front of the shop he eyed the dark windows, even through the security bars he could only see the security lights coming from inside the shop. Putting the car in park he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his husband. 

"Hello?" 

"Michael?" 

"Hey Ben, give me a minute." He could hear movement and muffled voices. 

"Okay, I can talk now, what's up." 

"Where are you Michael?" Ben questioned. 

"Oh, I'm at the shop. We're going over the inventory, didn't you get my note?" 

"Note, no, I'm not home yet. I wanted to see if you wanted me to pick up something for dinner, I know it's late but I was kind of hungry, wanted to see if you were too." 

"No, that's okay, we got a pizza. But go ahead and get yourself something, or there's always some of Ma's lasagna in the freezer." 

"We?" Ben wondered who Michael was with 

"Ah, yeah, you know Jimmy, the red head that helps out at the store sometimes. He's helping me with inventory." 

"Jimmy." Ben laid his head against the steering wheel. "Well, I can come to the store and pick you up." 

"NO!...ah, no, that's okay, Jimmy can drop me off it's on his way." 

"Okay. See ya when you get home, do you know what time that will be, maybe I'll wait up." 

"I'll probably be late, so why don't you just go to bed, I'll let myself in, I have my house keys, don't worry." 

"I love you Michael." Ben said, he tried to keep the worry out of his voice, he didn't know if he succeeded or not. 

"You too." Michael said quickly. "Gotta get going, talk to you later okay." 

And the line went dead. 


	2. Thief in the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens...evidence appears. And what the hell is going on up in the Great White North!

Thank God the elevator was fixed while he was locked away at the house with Justin Brian thought as he yanked up the outer door; he brought his keys up as he exited the elevator. Pushing the key into the lock, he pushed the loft door open and pulled it shut behind him; as he was punching in his alarm code a bold spicy aftershave smell hit his nose. "Christ, what the hell is that smell?"

He looked around for Michael or Emmett. There was no one there, but the smell was hanging in the air through-out the loft. Kicking his shoes off he dropped his small carry all bag onto the bed and made his way into the bathroom, he grabbed a can of neutral air and started spraying before he even left the bathroom; he then walked a complete circle around the loft spraying the can as he went.

"Okay, somebody's ass is going to get reamed. Bringing that shit into my loft...gonna kick somebody's ass."

Catching something in the corner of his eye he backed up to check out the floor area in front of the sofa. Cream colored paper was lying on the floor half shoved under the sofa, bending down he pulled out the drawing of him and Justin in Justin's bedroom in New York. The drawing was ripped down the middle; it was barely hanging on by a strip of paper half an inch wide.

"What the fuck." Brian snapped. He knew damn well he'd placed this picture on the top of his dresser in the bedroom before he'd left. Moving to his file drawers he pulled out a file and searched through it looking for a certain sheet of paper. Finally finding it he reached over and turned on his computer, while waiting for it to boot up he stood up and moved around the room. He didn't even know what he was searching for but he kept looking, moving into the bedroom he noticed something hanging out of the small wooden box he kept on his dresser to hold his cufflinks and tie tacks. Opening the lid he found everything mixed together in a jumble and the leather necklace that Justin had left behind was hanging over the edge of the box. He knew damn well he'd never leave it like this. Someone had been here. Someone was in his fucking home rooting through his things. He headed to the bathroom again and started checking his cologne and lotion bottles. Two of the caps were loose and barely on. But he knew he's screwed them on tight after the last time he'd spilled one of them.

He moved back to the computer and reading the pass-code off the paper he punched it into his security companies' website. There before him on the webpage was a list of times and dates. Every single time his codes were punched into his alarm box. Going over the list twice he knew without a doubt that someone was coming into his loft while he wasn't home.

He looked at the page again and walked to his bedroom and retrieved his briefcase, removing his day planner he went over the dates. Okay, one night he was in Cleveland meeting with Liernes' Cosmetics. Another time he was in Philadelphia, and a third time on his last trip to Toronto, twice while he was in New York with Justin the last time, and every Wednesday between nine thirty until around ten forty in the morning for the past month. And just two nights ago the alarm was turned off at six twenty and turned back on at eight thirty-seven. Brian just sat there for a moment he was trying to take in what he was seeing right in front of him. Someone was coming into his home when he wasn't there. Someone was touching his private things.

Getting up he moved towards the bedroom again, he stopped and took a step or two towards the kitchen. Swinging his head around he looked all around his loft. Reaching out he swiped everything off the kitchen counter with one swing of his arm.

"Motherfucker!"

Moving to the phone he snatched it up, hitting speed dial number one he listened to the phone ring, when he heard voice mail pick up he realized Justin was still in the air, he would probably keep his phone off till he landed. Leaving a message to call him as soon as he landed he hung up and moved back towards his desk. Looking down at the paper he'd removed from the file he punched in the number as soon as he found it and waited for the phone to be answered. "Come on pick the fuckin' thing up."

"Pro-Tech Security, this is Bob speaking how may I help you." 

"This is Brian Kinney Account 6969, how long would it take to get camera surveillance placed in my loft?"

"Is this a one time thing or are you planning on leaving them up Mr. Kinney?"

"One time thing for two weeks." Brian told Bob on the other end.

"Okay." Brian could hear the sound of computer keys being punched. "How many cameras are we talking?"

Brian looked around him at his home. "Three, one in the main loft, one in the bedroom and one outside the door."

"With sound or without, are we talking motion sensors or twenty-four seven?"

"I want all the bells and whistles, whatever the fuck you got." Brian snapped. "And I want them yesterday. Can you handle this?"

"We here at Pro-Tech can handle anything you need sir, all you need to do is ask. Will someone be at your home at ten o'clock tomorrow morrow?"

"I'll be here. Be on time." Brian slammed the phone down.

Everything hit Brian at once. He dropped down onto the floor and covered his head with his hands. His hands were shaking. He felt violated. Betrayed. Whoever was coming into his loft had to have the codes. That meant three people. Justin. Lindsay. Michael.

Justin didn't need to sneak in and out of the loft, and besides he was with Brian when some of the break-ins were happening. Lindsay was in Canada, there was no way she was sneaking down to Pittsburgh to root through his cuff links.

Brian leaned back until his head hit the floor with a solid sounding thump.

Michael couldn't be coming into his loft. He wouldn't. And anyway this had been going on for sometime; it was only recently that they weren't talking to each other without fighting. Michael wouldn't need to break in to come to the loft; he'd just unlock the door and walk right in. It couldn't be Michael.

He thought about the cologne that had spilled that day in the bathroom, the cap not screwed back on, and the gum paper on the kitchen floor when he returned from New York. He raised his hands to cover his face, when they were directly above his face he noticed the shaking for the first time. He clenched his fingers into fist. What the fuck was going on?

Oh shit, the blue silk boxers.

********

The ringing telephone woke him up; he looked around and couldn't figure out why the fuck he was laying on the floor. He noticed his plastic kitchen containers littered all over the floor and everything came flooding back into his mind. "Fuck!"

Sitting up he reached out and grabbed the phone, checking caller id he hit the accept button and brought the phone to his ear. "Sunshine"

"Brian? What's going on, you sounded funny on your message?" Brian listened to see if he could hear sounds of the airport, he wondered if Justin had just gotten off the plane. Shit, he didn't want to explain everything to the boy while he was in the airport. He looked at the clock and realized that Justin was probably back home in his apartment by now.

"Are you home Sunshine?" Brian turned till he could lean against the back of the sofa.

"Yeah, I forgot to check my messages till a few minutes ago, what's wrong Brian?"

"Do you remember me accusing you of stealing my boxers?" Brian asks him.

"Brian, I promise you that I...." Justin didn't get to finish before Brian interrupted him.

"I believe you Justin." Brian laughed. "Justin?"

"Yeah?"

"Somebody has been rifling through the loft when I'm not home."

"What?" Brian could hear the shock in the boy's voice.

"I. Said. Someone. Has. Been..."

"The underwear, you think someone broke in and stole your underwear?" Justin said in disbelief.

"And smelling my colognes, and going through my jewelry box. And apparently on Wednesdays there's some kind of meeting being held here around nine-thirty in the morning."

"Brian do you realize how crazy you are sounding right now?"

"Yes, I realize how fucking ridiculous it all sounds but I checked the alarm schedule Justin. Someone has been in here whenever I go on trips, to New York, Toronto. And get this; someone was here Friday night between six and eight at night. The place is reeking with some cheap ass shit cologne. Someone was in our home Justin."

"Oh My God. You have to get out of there. You can't stay there; go to the house, or to Michael's.

"Well, I can't go to Michael's, thinks I've replaced him with Ted, he's being a dick remember."

"He's always been a dick Brian. What about Debbie's?" Justin voice was practically vibrating through the phone.

"And Justin, they ripped our picture in half. The one of you and me in New York. They destroyed it." Brian's voice was filled with sadness.

"Brian I'm coming home."

"Justin, you can't just..."

"I'm renting a car and I'm coming home. Don't try and talk me out of it.

"Justin..."

The line went dead.

*******

Ted entered Brian's office at a quarter after twelve the following day. He spied Justin sitting on the couch. "Hey, didn't you just leave for New York last night?"

"I did, but I'm back now." Justin told him with a grim smile.

Ted looked between Brian and Justin, "what's up?"

"Theodore please close the door and take a seat." Brian leaned back against his desk; stretching his legs out in front of him, he reached back and grabbed his stress ball.

"Okay..." Ted turned and closed the door, moving into the room he took a seat facing Justin, he glances first at Brian and then back at Justin.

"Is this going to hurt, 'cause I don't like the way either of you look right now?" Ted noticed the circles under both of their eyes.

"What we're about to tell you doesn't leave this office. Do you understand Theodore?"

"Always bos...ah Brian. You have my promise."

Ted watched as Brian looked at Justin then back at Ted. "This morning I had camera's installed in the loft. They are going to be recording everything that goes on in there from the time I leave until I return home."

Ted look confused. Something told him that now was not the time to make any jokes about home videos. Whatever this was it was serious.

"Okay, something is happening at the loft when you're not there?" 

"See Justin I told you Ted wasn't as dumb as he looks."

Justin glared, "Brian"

"I'm just trying to relieve some of the tension." Brian tossed the ball onto his desk top; he stood up and moved to sit next to Justin. "Someone is breaking into the loft when I'm not there."

"Oh My God Brian, do you have a list of the articles that are missing?" Ted moved to Brian's desk and grabbed a legal pad, pulling his pen out of his pocket he prepared to start a list of all of the stolen items. "Go ahead tell me what's missing, I'm ready."

"Are you sure you're ready Ted, it's quite a list, one of them was Brian's most prized possession." Justin replied seriously. It was Brian's turn to glare at him.

Ted eyes bulged, "Oh shit, the Naked Man, they stole your Naked Man, Jesus Christ."

"No, not the Naked Man, much worse." Justin's eyes were twinkling now.

Brian leaned down and whispered in his ear. "I wasn't allowed to relieve the tension, why do you get to do it?"

Justin whispered back, "I'm younger and cuter."

"What, what the hell was taken?" Ted demanded, pen at the ready.

"Brian's blue silk boxers." Justin told him in a serious voice.

Nodding is head Ted started to write, "Blue silk box...." Ted's head suddenly snapped up, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry Ted; it's been a stressful morning...and night. Like Brian said, just trying to relieve some tension."

"Was something taken from the loft or not?" Ted demand throwing the legal paid onto the glass coffee table.

"Yes, but not what you'd expect." Brian told him, "I checked my alarm schedules. Someone has been coming in and out of the loft when I'm out of town. Going through my jewelry, removing the tops of my colognes and they destroyed a sketch of Justin's."

Justin continued, "And this morning Brian and I found out that two of his thousand count sheets sets were replaced with three hundred count sets. Same colors, just different thread counts."

"You're being robbed by a sheet queen?" Ted laughed dryly, "Maybe we should check Emmett's linen closet?"

Brian pointed at Ted, "See I said the same thing but I got punched in the arm when I said it."

"Emmett isn't stealing Brian's sheets." Justin rolled his eyes. "We might find him rolling around in Brian's bed, but he'd never steal from Brian. Never."

"Do you have a list of the times the alarm was turned off and on Brian?" Ted asks.

Brian nodded and retrieved the pages he'd downloaded from the security website. He handed them to Ted.

He sat back down and wrapped one arm around Justin. He watched as Justin yawned, he pulled him into his chest and pushed his head down onto his chest. "How much sleep have you had in the last twenty-four hours?"

"I'm okay. We just have to figure out what's going on."

"Brian, have you noticed that all the times are different except for Wednesday's?" Ted said as he looked through the list. "Every Wednesday morning between nine-thirty and eleven, there's a pattern here." 

"Brian figured they were having some kind of meeting at that time." Justin laughed. "Like it's some kind of club."

"I checked my day planner; we have the weekly meeting here at Kinnetic at that time. Every Wednesday." Brian said. Something clicked in Brian's head. Standing up he moved to the intercom. "Janet can you ask Cynthia to come to my office please?"

"She's here with me, she's on her way." Janet replied.

"Cynthia?" Ted asks.

"Hold on, something just came to me." Brian said as he turned to the door as it opened and Cynthia came through.

"Janet said you wanted to see me?"

"Do you remember a week ago, when we were getting ready for our meeting, you brought me a message, do you remember what you said when I ask you what it meant?" Brian questioned her.

"A message, from a week ago?" Cynthia tilted her head, trying to recall the message.

Brian snapped his fingers. "Yeah, something about it's Wednesday?"

"Oh." Cynthia laughed, "Its Wednesday, must be Novotney."

"That's right, Michael calls every Wednesday, at nine-fifteen just to see if I'm here, doesn't want to talk, just wants to know it I'm in the office."

"Yeah. That was it." Cynthia said.

Brian nodded. "Thank you Cynthia. You've been a great help."

"I was?" Cynthia looked at Brian confused, she had no idea how she had helped. Knowing she had been dismissed she turned around and left the office, closing the door on the way out.

"Michael?" Justin's voice was filled with disbelief. "You think it's Michael?"

"Brian I know that Michael can be immature, and sometimes he can be a bit obsessive when it comes to you, but do you really think he'd break-in to your loft and just root through your stuff. I mean come on; this is Michael we're talking about."

"Ted's right Brian, why would Michael steal your sheets and then replace them with new ones?" Justin's asked in disbelief.

"Well we'll find out one way or another on Wednesday won't we?" Brian said.

******

Brian shut the door to his office, he'd told Janet not to let anyone disturb him until she heard from him. He walked to his desk, sat down and reached for his desk phone. Dialing the number from memory he waited for the phone to be picked up at the other end. This was the fifth time he'd tried to call Lindsay in three weeks. He'd tried calling the house but both times Mel picked up and all he got from her was attitude. The last time he'd asked her what her problem was and she'd answered 'you' and slammed the phone down. Since then the phone wasn't even being answered. He was getting pissed. First they ask him to stop visiting now it looked like they wouldn't even let him talk to his son. The emails and voice mail messages he'd left had gone unanswered from Linz; if he didn't get to talk to her today he was going to be booking a flight to Toronto. He had enough shit to deal with at the loft; he needed to find out what the hell was going on in happy muncher land and he needed to find out now.

"Whittington's Gallery, this is Francine may I help you?" A young female voice came over the line.

"Yes, I'd like to speak to Lindsay Peterson please."

"May I ask who is calling?"

Brian smiled, "yes, Theodore Schmidt."

"One moment please."

Brian listened to the muzak play as he contemplated Lindsay's reaction to finding out that it wasn't Ted on the phone. But what the hell did she expect, she had his kid and he was supposed to be able to reach her. He had tried the house and had gotten no where, she wasn't answering her cell and the last time he'd called the gallery she'd blown him off. She hadn't given him much choice here.

The music was suddenly gone and the same female voice came back on the line. "I'm sorry sir, but Ms Peterson is no longer associated with Whittington's Gallery."

"Excuse me. Lindsay Peterson, she's the assistant manager. Blonde woman, about five foot four."

"I know who you are speaking of sir, but Ms Peterson no longer works here. I'm sorry I have no other information."

The line suddenly went dead.

Brian left his office and headed down the hallway, slamming open Ted's door he spied the man standing at the filing cabinet. "Have you spoken to Linz or Mel in the last month?"

"Ah, well actually no, I left messages for Mel twice to ask her about some tax information on her trust fund, but she hasn't gotten back to me yet. Why what's up?" Ted asks him.

"I thought they used the trust fund to help with the move? What are they saving it for matching double-headed dildos?"

Ted shook his head, "Brian, what do you need?

"I need to know what the hell is going on with my son. I just called the Gallery; I used your name by the way. They told me that Linz doesn't work there anymore."

Ted's head snapped up glaring at Brian, "Why the hell did you use my name?"

Brian shrugged, "She wouldn't come to the phone when I gave my name. What the hell does it matter? Did you hear me, I tried to call Linz at the Gallery; they fucking told me she - I quote 'is no longer associated with the Shit Emporium' unquote. I spoke to Mel twice on the phone in the past month and neither time did she mention this fact to me."

Ted pushed the drawer shut, "Well, what DID Mel have to say?"

"Well let's see, fuck off and die, eat shit and die, and my favorite why didn't I just overdose years ago...oh and did I happen to mention the she wants me dead part?"

Ted flopped into his chair. "Jesus, what the fuck is up with her?"

Brian shrugged his shoulders, "I think she misses me."

"What God did you piss off in your former life?" Ted snapped. "I mean come on Brian, isn't it enough your loft is being broken into but now you have to worry about your son too?" Ted just shook his head.

"Something is going on up there and if I didn't have this shit with Michael to deal with I'd be on a flight tonight."

Ted stood back up, "We have no proof that it's Michael. Tomorrow we'll know for sure, it's Wednesday and we'll have the evidence from the camera's but until then I just can't believe that it's Michael. He just doesn't seem like the type to...he wouldn't..."

"Like you said, we'll know for sure by tomorrow afternoon. The tapes should tell us everything we need to know."

Ted nodded; he didn't know what to say.

"I'm going to the diner; if anyone can tell me what's going on up there its Deb, there is nothing in this fucking world that could stop her from getting to her grandchild." Brian turned and headed out the door. A second later he stuck he head back in the door. "Are you fucking coming or what?"

"I guess I'm coming." Ted grumbled as he grabbed his coat and followed Brian out the door."

******

Justin and Emmett were in the last booth facing the front door in the front of the diner. Justin didn't want Michael walking up and surprising them. He definitely didn't want him overhearing what he and Emmett were talking about. And being that they were the only two customers in the diner at the time made it even better.

"So Michael was with you when I called you on Thursday morning? Do you think he knew that Brian and I were at the house in West Virginia?"

"Oh he heard alright. As soon as I hung up he was all over me. Wanting to know where Brian was, did he take a trick to the West Virginia house? He knew damn well you were home last week. Why does he have to act like such a child?" Emmett waived his hands in the air with every word. Justin had to pull his head back or he would have ended up getting slapped in the face. "God Justin I know he's my friend but sometimes...sometimes I just want to strangle him."

Justin nodded. "I understand Em, believe me I do."

"Yes, I imagine you do. But yes, to answer your question, Michael did know you and Brian spent Wednesday night until Sunday at the house. He asked me a couple of times when you were coming back. I just knew he was making plans to head for the loft as soon as you two got home."

"I wouldn't know, Brian dropped me off at the airport on the way in, I didn't even go to the loft. But I don't think he stopped in on Sunday, Brian didn't say anything."

Emmett smiled, "Which leads me to my next question, why are you not in New York? If you were dropped off at the airport on Sunday one would assume you would be in New York right now. But no, here you are still in the Pitts. What's going on, why are you still home?"

Justin had already prepared for what he would tell the family when they ask, he looked up and smiled at Emmett. "My schedule was suddenly changed. I arrived home, found out that there had been a fire at work, and since I didn't have any interviews or shows coming up I thought why the hell would I want to hang around New York when I could spend a few weeks at home. So here I am. Rented a car and drove straight home."

"Oh I betcha' Brian loves having you here sweetie. He misses you so much when you're gone. But you already knew that didn't you? And you get to spend your days out there in that beautiful house that your partner bought just for you. It's so romantic."

Justin laughed. "That empty beautiful house."

"Now now, you said you have a bed and a stove. Hot and cold running water. What more could two beautiful men need. Just the two of you, hidden away in your honeymoon haven." Emmett sighed.

"Don't call it that around Brian, I'd hate to see a for sale sign out in-front of my beautiful romantic house." Justin looked up and smiled as he spied Brian as he walked through the door, Ted was right behind him.

Emmett had noticed that smile and turned to see who had come in. He gave his friend a huge smile. "Teddy."

"Hey" Brian said as he slid into the booth next to Justin, leaning over he pressed his lips to Justin's for a second, moving back he asks, "Is Deb working today?"

"Yeah I think she's in the back, what's going on?" Justin answered. He nodded at Ted as the man moved to take a sit next to Emmett.

"Not sure." Brian said as he swung his head around to look for Debbie. As if on cue the red head came through the small kitchen doors. Spying some of her favorite people she headed towards the corner.

Pulling out her notepad she smiled at all of them, "So what can I get for you growing boys?"

"Answers." Brian said.

As if a light bulb went off over her head Debbie suddenly looked at Justin, turning she nodded at Brian and loudly exclaimed, "What the fuck is he doing home, didn't you drop him off at the airport on Sunday?"

"We'll get to Sunshine in a moment; I have some questions of my own for you. Take a seat please." Brian gestured to where Ted was sitting, Emmett got the hint and moved closer to the wall, Ted slid over, which left a corner of the bench for Debbie to sit.

Debbie immediately went into mother mode. Sitting down she looked at Brian. "Sweetie what's wrong, you sound worried?"

"When was the last time you talked to either one of the girls?"

"Lindsay and Mel? I don't know, I think it was Thursday night, yeah, Thursday." Debbie told him.

"This past Thursday? Who'd you talk to, which one?" Brian questioned.

"Oh....something's going on isn't it?" Emmett asked in a loud whisper. Teddy shook his head at him and whispered 'later'.

"Which one, it was Mel. She said Linz was at work. Why? What the hell is going on?" Debbie didn't like this, if Brian was openly worried that spelled trouble.

"When was the last time you talked to Lindsay?" Brian asks.

Debbie had to think about this for a few moments.

"Deb." Brian's patience was wearing thin, she could see that.

"Give me a fucking minute will you, my memory isn't as good as it used to be." Debbie told him. "I'm not sure; it's been awhile I think. Maybe about a month ago, yeah it was a month ago, I asked them if they were coming for the holidays but neither one of them had an answer for me. Now you answer me, what the hell is going on?"

Brian shook his head. "That's the problem, I don't know. And I can't get Linz on the phone and that bitch Melanie won't answer any of my questions."

Debbie turned to Theodore, "give me your cell phone Ted."

"Are you going to tell them you're me?" Ted said as he dug his phone out of his coat pocket."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Debbie snapped.

Smirking Brian told her "nothing, don't worry about it. Are you calling Mel?"

"Yes, I am, if there's trouble up there then we have the right to know about it. Anything that concerns my granddaughter concerns me." Debbie told him as she dialed.

They all sat and waited for the phone to be answered, Justin leaned in to Brian, "what's happened?"

"I called the Gallery and they said Linz doesn't work there anymore. Other than that I have no answers." Brian told him.

Emmett leaned in and whispered in Ted's ear, "Brian's upset because Linz quit her job?"

"When have you ever seen or heard of Lindsay or Michael making big decisions without consulting Brian first?" Ted whispered back.

"Oh." Emmett tilted his head a bit. "Well, that never happens."

"Exactly." Ted answered.

"Mel?" Debbie suddenly yelled loudly into the phone. The four men automatically leaned away from her.

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to yell, but you're so far away I forget sometimes." Debbie chuckled into the phone. "Yeah I know you're busy baby, but see the reason I'm calling is...?" She turned and looked at Brian.

Brian whispered, "Why can't we get Linz on the phone?"

"Sweetie I can't seem to get Lindsay on the phone, I've been trying to contact her and she doesn't answer her phone."

"Uh huh." Debbie nodded. "Uh huh."

Brian dropped his head against the wall and rolled his eyes.

"No, she hasn't called me, or any of the boys."

"No she didn't fucking run to Brian." Debbie suddenly snapped. "What the fuck is going on up there Melanie Marcus. If you or Linz are having problems then you should have let one of us know. We're family and you...."

"WHAT?"

That is fucking bullshit and you know it. Brian hasn't done a damn thing...no he has not. What the fuck are you smoking...?"

"Give me the fucking phone!" Brian demanded.

"No." Ted said, "You get on that phone and you'll never get any answers Brian. Give me the phone Deb."

Ted reached out and pried his phone out of Debbie's hands, the woman continued to yell even as he removed the phone.

"Mel, its Ted. What the hell is going on? What? Are you insane? No. I already told you no. Brian hasn't spoken with Lindsay for over a month, and he's worried about her, worried about both of you."

Brian pulled himself half-way onto the table, yelling into the phone, "Don't lie to that fucking bitch. I'm worried about Gus; he's the only one I'm worried about. Where the fuck is my son?"

Ted held his hand up in Brian's face. "Listen I don't know where the hell Linz is getting this shit but I can promise you right now that she has not moved back to Pittsburgh and she is not living in Brian's fucking house or loft."

Everyone's head jerked up at this information. Collective cries of 'what' left all their mouths at the same time.

"You did what?" Ted suddenly stopped. He looked directly at Brian. "You can't do that Mel. What the hell do you mean yes you can. Because he's her son, that's why."

"What the fuck is going on, what did she do to Gus? WHAT?" Brian screamed.

"No you aren't, you're acting like a fucking idiot that's why. Just give me the number. Balancing the phone between his chin and ear he grabbed Debbie's pad and pen laying on the edge of the table and started writing.

"9055553536...yes, yes I got it. 9055553536...okay." Ted replied. "Mel why would you do this, I just don't understand what could lead you to do this? No, he hasn't, he hasn't ever questioned your rights so why the fuck can't you give him the same respect he's given you?"

"Give me that fuckin' phone." Brian reached out towards the phone but Justin and Debbie grabbed his hands and held him away from it. "Brian let Ted handle it." Justin told him. "You know she'll just hang up on you."

"Well for one you're a fucking lawyer, ring any bells, I know you're not allowed to practice up there but that doesn't mean you just ignore everything you know so that you can punish Lindsay for something that isn't true to begin with."

"No, he didn't, you are the one that wouldn't allow him to come to visit his son, you and Lindsay called every fucking shot. And he agreed, it fucking killed him but he agreed, he agreed to it all."

"Jesus Christ who the fuck are you? Do you have any idea what the fuck Brian is going to do to you, have you any fucking clue what you've brought on yourself?"

"TED, GIVE ME THE FUCKING PHONE NOW!" Brian screamed.

The bell suddenly rang out over the door and Debbie was up in a flash and pushing the poor unsuspecting customer back out, "Sorry we're closed, broken water pipes, come back in an hour."

Ted moved out of the booth and stood up. Turning his back on the others he continued to question the woman on the other end of the phone.

"Mel you do not want to do this. No way, can you possibly win."

"Win what?" Emmett cried. "What's she going to win at?"

"And you're going to put Gus through this just so you can prove you have bigger balls then Brian Kinney. Jesus Christ woman you will never learn will you. No he doesn't, you do it to yourself."

"I am your friend. Mel...Mel..." Ted turned back to the others snapping the phone shut. "She hung up."

What the fuck is going on Ted?" Emmett screamed into the silence.

Brian stood up and moved to stand in front of Ted. "If you don't tell me what the hell is going on Theodore I swear to God I will rip off your..."

Ted swallowed and took a huge breathe then he started talking, fast. "Mel said that Lindsay has been talking about moving home for about three months. Things haven't been going well for them since they got there. Linz is making half of what she made here, Mel can't get a job working as a lawyer without going back to school for at least a few years and..."

"AND..." Brian motioned with his hands for Ted to continue.

"They couldn't get any health insurance for the kids, Michael doesn't have any extra money to send to help and Mel didn't want Brian's money, but she found out Linz has been taking your money anyway. And..."

"I swear to God Theodore, get to the fucking point." Brian screamed.

"Mel threw Lindsay out of the house. She said that Lindsay wouldn't stop talking about moving back and staying with Brian in the West Virginia house; she kept going on about how they could get their lives back. So Mel threw her out and wouldn't allow her to take Gus with her."

Silence filled the diner.


	3. Delusions and Drunks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lindsay's back in town.

Justin moved from the closet, very carefully he folded a pair of Brian's dress pants and then roughly shoved them into the small suitcase which already held a couple of pairs of jeans, underwear, and a few t-shirts.

"Try it again Ted." Brian told the older man as he exited the bathroom carrying his travel kit. He dropped it into the small black bag sitting next to the slightly larger bag that Justin was folding clothes into.

"Dialing." Ted mumbled. He punched in the number he'd gotten from Mel. Ted wondered why if she had no money and no home Lindsay took the time to get a new cell phone number. Was she hiding or running? And who was she hiding or running from? Those were the thoughts shifting through his head when the first ring reached his ears. He lifted his head and looked around when he heard a ringing in the loft. He watched as Brian walked down from the bedroom and grabbed his cell off the kitchen counter.

"Yeah."

Ted listened to the continuing rings coming from his phone. After six rings it was picked up by the automated voice mail. Hell, she hadn't created her own message so they couldn't even be sure it was her number. They'd already left two messages so it was no use leaving another. Shutting the phone he looked over at Brian and shook his head.

Brian closed his phone and looked over just as Ted was shaking his head in the negative. He turned back towards the bedroom.

"Cynthia has everything taken care of everything, we pick up our tickets at the counter and..." Brian started to tell Justin when the phone in his hand went off again. He didn't stop moving as he answered the phone.

"Yeah." He had lifted his foot to move up the steps when he suddenly came to an abrupt stop, dropping his foot with a thump. "Where the fuck are you?"

Both Justin and Ted stopped what they were doing and turned to watched Brian.

"Jesus Christ Lindsay I've been calling you for days, what the fuck is going on up there?"

"What the hell do you mean you aren't in Canada?" 

Justin and Ted moved closer to Brian. They couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the phone but from the tone of Brian's voice it didn't sound good.

"Where? What...why the fuck did you...give me the fucking address. Yeah, stay there, we'll be there as soon as possible." Brian turned and slid his feet into his shoes, grabbing his keys he motioned to Justin and headed towards the door. Pulling the door back he suddenly stopped. "What? Lindsay you're not calling the fucking shots here, I don't..."

Justin moved up next to Brian and placed his hand on his back giving as much moral support as he could.

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Honestly Lindsay at this point I don't care what YOU want. WE will be there in a few minutes and you'd better take the time you have to get your fucking story together because I want some fucking answers, do you understand me."

Closing the phone he leaned his head against the door. "I swear to God for two fucking cents I'd keep packing and head for some place warm and sunny right now and say fuck you to every one of the fucking members of this family."

"Where is she Brian?" Justin quietly asks.

Brian kept his forehead against the door. "Right here in good ole Pittsburgh. She's at some rat infested, fucking flea bitten motel here in fucking Pittsburgh."

Ted couldn't believe it. "What? Why didn't she come to you, or one of us? What the fuck is she doing?"

Brian laughed, "She said she came home to plan, and she's ready now. Says she knows what we have to do to get Gus back." He slammed his fist against the door. "We spend all this time worrying about her and she's been right here and she doesn't even...Christ."

"I can't believe she thinks she has control of this situation, I mean come on..." Ted began.

"She's drunk Ted, very very drunk." Brian said quietly. 

"How the hell could you tell that over the phone?" Ted demanded.

"Cause I know how she sounds when she's had too many. Believe me during Lindsay's 'who am I?' period in college she was drunk quite often." Brian told him.

He pulled back from the door. "Grab the bag Sunshine we're not coming back here. We'll pick up Linz and head to West Virginia okay?"

Justin nodded, turning he headed for the bedroom, Ted watched him as he walked away.

"Ted." Brian called out.

Ted turned to look at Brian, "yeah?"

"Let everyone, and I mean everyone know that we're not at the loft for the next couple of days okay. Tell them that we're staying at the house until Monday night. We don't want any phone calls, no visits. Got it? And what ever you do don't mention Lindsay."

"No calls, no visits. House. Loft empty till Monday, Lindsay who? Got it." Ted nodded his head in confirmation.

Brian looked him directly in the eye. "The plan goes ahead as scheduled okay. Anyone calls the office; we're all in a meeting, our regularly scheduled Wednesday meeting. Are we clear?"

Ted nodded.

"I'll meet you here Wednesday night at six pm." Brian told him as Justin joined them at the door. "Tell anyone about this, even Blake and you're fired understand?"

Ted made a motion of zipping his lip. "I won't even talk in my sleep Bri, promise."

"And don't forget to call Cynthia and have her cancel our plane tickets, looks like we won't need them after all. Let's go Sunshine; we got us an adventure to look forward too." Blatant sarcasm was the only way to describe Brian voice.

Justin turned with a smile, "It's been an adventure since the day I met you Brian."

Brian closed his eyes and shook his head back and forth. "Two cents...that's all it would fuckin' take."

*********

Debbie turned as the bell went off over the door, smiling she looked up at her newest customer. "Holy Shit."

Melanie Marcus stood in the doorway checking out the only customer in the place. You could tell by the look on her face that this woman was angry, very angry. The man quickly got up threw a few bills on the table and was gone in a flash.

"Mel, what the hell are you doing here? And where the fuck is my granddaughter?" Deb demanded as she moved towards the smaller woman.

The look on Mel's face really couldn't be called a smile, more of a twisted grimace. "The kids are with my cousin Rita; I'm picking them up in an hour. Where the fuck is Lindsay?"

Deb stopped a few feet away. "Lindsay...I know that the two of you are having some problems but didn't you tell Ted she was staying at a hotel in Toronto?"

"She's with Brian, no matter what the asshole has told the rest of you I know she's with him." Mel snapped as she turned back towards the exit. "I guess I'll have to force my way into the loft and prove it to all of you."

Deb moved around her and blocked the doorway. "Mel Brian was here today asking me when the last time I talked to Lindsay was, he doesn't know where she is, trust me."

"As much as I would like to believe you, I know my wife, no matter what happens she ALWAYS turns to Brian. Neither her or Michael know how to live their lives without the fucker's interference, so get out of my way so that I can..."

"So you can what? Demand she go back to Canada with you? Ted told us what you said on the phone this morning. It doesn't sound like things are working out up there for you sweetie, don't you think it would be better to just come back home?" Deb told her. "At least you would have your family around you."

Deb watched as all the anger left the younger woman's face. "I admit it was taking a bit of time, but we would have...things would have settled...."

Taking the distraught woman's arm gently Deb guided her into a booth. "Mel it's been almost a year. Why can't you just admit to yourself that it's not working?"

"It was working..." Mel began but Debbie cut her off.

"Lindsay's job wasn't enough to support four people, you couldn't get a job. No medical or life insurance. Now how in the hell does that sound like its working?"

"We could have done it, but fucking Kinney kept butting his fucking nose into our business. If he would have..."

Debbie interrupted her again, "Brian hasn't spoken to Lindsay for over a month. He was worried sick about Gus. This is not Brian's fault, no matter how much you want to blame him. And this isn't just about you and Lindsay. You have two babies to think of too you know?"

"I was doing fine till I found out Linz was taking that fuckers money." Mel snapped. "We didn't need his fucking money. I would have eventually been able to take the Canadian Bar and everything..."

"Ted said it would have taken two fucking years for that to happen. Who was going to feed your kids until then?" Debbie didn't want to get into a fight with the woman but she had to make her see reason here. "This is not Brian's fault Melanie Marcus. As it was pointed out to me recently we can't keep expecting to lay the blame at Brian's door."

"So whose fault is it? Mine? Is that what you think?" Mel demanded.

"I don't think its any body's fault. Why does it have to be somebody's fault? You tried something it's not working, you try something else. No where does it say you can't come home and try again." Debbie's finger waved with each point.

"Deb, you weren't there, you didn't see her face when she talked about coming home. You didn't hear her voice when she talked about us living with Brian. She was telling Gus stories at night, when she didn't know I was listening, stories about how her, Gus and Brian would be a family. Like they were fucking fairy tales."

Debbie sighed. "Mel, it has been pointed out to me recently that whatever expectations that Lindsay and Michael have regarding Brian Kinney, well it's not always the way things are. My son and your wife are..." Deb tried to think of the word that Carl had used during their numerous conversations. "Delusional."

"Yeah right, you can't tell me for one moment that if Brian really wanted to get rid of me he couldn't make it happen in a second." Mel's eyes started to tear up, reaching up she wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her coat.

Debbie reached over and yanked a couple of napkins out of the holder; handing them to the other women she nodded. "But has he ever done it? Hell, Mel when you and Lindsay broke up, both times at that, did Brian tell Linz not to take you back or for you not to take her back? Hell no, he gave you his son so that the two of you would get back together. He let you take him to another country so that you could both feel safe. Does that sound like a man who wants you out of your wife's life?"

Mel took the napkins and loudly blew her nose.

Debbie reached out and patted her hand. "And sweetie no matter what you think has happened it hasn't. Lindsay is not living with Brian. I've seen what this is doing to him, and if he knew where Lindsay was he wouldn't be so worried."

"I just don't know what to do Deb. I went to the hotel where Linz was staying in Toronto, she checked out four days ago. If she's not with Brian then where the hell is she?" Mel started to cry again.

"I don't know, but the first thing we're going to do is go get your kids, then we're taking them to my house, we'll get you settled in and we'll call Brian. He'll find out where she went."

Mel nodded and started to collect her self together. "You don't think Linz would go to her parents do you?"

Debbie stood up from the table, "I don't know honey, but we'll find out soon enough, don't you worry. Let's get those kids of yours. I need to hold my grand baby."

"I guess I should call Michael, let him know I'm in town." Mel told her as she started to button her coat.

Debbie shook her head no, "Let's wait till we get the kids settled. That son of mine is having one of his famous temper tantrums at the moment. We'll get you all settled in then we'll tackle Michael."

"I guess I should tell you now, you'll find out soon enough, the kids are really messed up. They've been crying for days, Rita didn't even want to watch them for an hour. And Gus is acting out every chance he gets. They miss their mommy. I found out the very first night after I threw Linz out that I really haven't been helping out like I thought I was. I thought I could do it, know what I mean. I thought hell, Linz does it every day, and it can't be that hard. But..."

"Being a mother isn't as easy as it looks is it?" Debbie asked her with a grin.

Mel shook her head, "no, it's not. I'm exhausted Deb, totally fucking exhausted. With Gus Linz was always the one to take care of the day to day stuff, I mean yeah occasionally I'd give him his bath or take him to school. But mostly Linz did it all. When JR was born I was going to be the best mom in the world. But it wasn't till the last month that I realized I've been playing at being a mother. I've been shoving my daughter at Linz every chance I got, it just seemed so much easier to have her do it, she seemed to be more comfortable with the kids, and I had to look for a job and..."

Deb took Mel's hand and gave it a few pats, "let me tell Kiki I'm leaving early today. And then let's go get your kids and we'll talk about all this stuff later okay. A few hugs, a few kisses, bath time and then some mamma time okay?"

Mel smiled and nodded her head. She watched as Deb walked away.

*******

Ted hung up the phone and rubbed his eyes. He felt Blake come up behind him and wrap his arms around him.

"Who was that?"

"Michael wanting to know if I knew where Brian was."

"Why so glum, it's no surprise that Michael wants to find Brian?" Blake ask him as he moved around and slide into Ted's lap.

"I know, it's just...it's just sometimes I get so fucking tired of Michael's obsessions with Brian." Ted told him as he laid his forehead against Blake's.

"I hope you told him where Brian is, 'cause I don't want him calling here all night upsetting you."

"Yeah," Ted smiled but Blake noticed it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, I told him Brian is at the West Virginia house until Saturday."

"Good, that means we have the entire night to ourselves. Can I interest you in a nice long relaxing soak in our tub?" Blake withdrew from Ted's lap and pulled his lover to his feet, dragging him through the apartment.

Ted's smile finally reached his eyes. "Just lead the way baby."

******

Ben tossed his keys onto the kitchen table causing the small scrap of paper to slide off the other side of the table, he watched as it landed on the floor somewhere. He didn't bother moving to pick it up, he wasn't going to even read the note. Why bother, he knew what it said...

Dear Ben

I'm at the store...out with Brian...out with Emmett...at a convention...

Love ya,  
Michael

They were always the same. No matter what the words on the paper actually said what they really meant was 'I'm not with you'.

Reaching into the refrigerator he grabbed one of the non-alcoholic beers they kept there. Unscrewing the cap he tossed that after the keys.

He couldn't count the many conversations that they'd had in the last few months about Michael's absences; it seemed that's all they talked about when he actually did see Michael. They weren't discussing Hunter's college courses, or the reason that Michael kept putting off visits to his daughter, or the mortgage payments. No, they were discussing the fact that Michael was never home anymore, never there for his family. And forget about having sex. He and Michael hadn't made love in over four weeks, hell even before that whenever they did have sex Michael just didn't seem to be into it anymore, he always acted like he wanted it over quickly.

He was out with Brian again was Ben's first thought. Michael had promised him that things were going to change and he wouldn't be out all hours of the night with fucking Kinney anymore. He said it would change. Maybe he was really out 'fucking' Kinney, maybe that's what was really happening here. With Justin gone, Gus gone, maybe Brian was feeling so lonely that he'd finally seduced Michael. Maybe Michael was finally getting what he'd always wanted.

Ben moved into the living room and flopped onto the couch, resting his beer between his legs he leaned his head back and ran his hands over his face. He tried to think back when this had started. About three months ago. Michael suddenly had to take care of his best friend Brian Kinney again. Coming in at three or four am, getting up and going to the shop before Ben got up in the morning. The mood swings, one minute he's fine the next he's pissed off at the world. Hell, even Debbie had noticed it. For the first time that Ben could remember Michael wasn't running to his mother with his problems. Debbie was in the dark just as much as Ben was. The only difference this time was that Debbie said she was staying out of it, which had shocked the hell out of Ben.

He must have asked his husband what was wrong a million times. But Michael either got pissed off or changed the subject. And if he wasn't with Brian he was at the store, doing inventory, or at a meeting for comic collectors. Anywhere but with Ben.

Suddenly Ben was filled with such anger; pulling his cell phone out of his pocket he dialed Brian's cell phone. It was picked up after three or four rings.

"Brian?" Ben snapped into the phone.

"No, this is Justin, Brian's busy at the moment can I take a message?" 

"Justin, you're with Brian, he's in New York?" Ben quickly asks. He suddenly heard Brian tell Justin to hand him the phone.

"No, actually we're on our way to the West Virginia house, here's Brian." 

"Ben what's up?" He heard Brian's voice over the phone, for the life of him he didn't know what to say. If Brian was in West Virginia with Justin who the fuck was Michael with?"

"Professor, you there?"

Silence

"Ben, I'm in the middle of something right now, can we talk about whatever the fuck you need..."

"Brian, can I ask you a question?" Ben whispered, he didn't even recognize his own voice.

"Ben what's wrong, is something wrong with Michael?"

Ben laughed, he couldn't help it, he didn't plan it, and it just burst out of him.

"Ben?"

"I don't know, I don't think I know anything. When was the last time you and Michael spent any time together Brian?"

Ben could hear Brian sigh.

"When Brian?"

"Ben right now is not the time to get into this; I'm sort of in the middle of something...."

"Brian where the fuck is my husband?" Ben screamed into the phone. He could hear Brian sigh again.

"Ben, I haven't been out with Michael since the night before I left to spend the week with Justin in New York a couple of weeks ago. And before that I only saw him at the diner or family dinners."

"I thought that was what you were going to say." And with that Ben hung up. He quickly dialed another number.

"Red Cape Comics."

"Is Michael there?" Ben asks quietly.

"No he's not, can I take a message?"

"Is this Jimmy?"

"Jimmy, no this is Keith."

"What happened to Jimmy?" Ben really didn't want to know but he needed too.

"Who is this?"

Ben sighed, "This is Ben Bruckner, Michael's husband."

"Oh, well than I guess you didn't know, Jimmy quit about two months ago, he was flunking out so his parents made him transfer back to West Chester so they could keep an eye on him."

"Oh that's right, Michael told me but I forgot." Ben lied.

"So you want to leave a message for Michael?" Keith asked.

"No, no message. Thank you." Ben hung up.

*******

"What do you think that was about?" Justin questioned.

"I have no fucking clue but we all knew Ben wasn't stupid, he would have figured it out sooner or later. And right now I'm not going to worry about Michael's fucking problems." Brian pulled into the motel parking lot.

"I'm gonna stay in the car." Justin said as they pulled up in-front of room seventeen of the Lodge Motel. He looked around at the dirty streets and the run-down building directly in front of them.

Brian turned his head and spied the Sheets convenience store at the corner. Pulling out his wallet he handed Justin a few bills. "Coffee. Biggest size they have. Get three or four of them. Black. Okay"

Justin nodded; opening the door he left the car and headed for the corner.

Brian got out the car and made his way to the door. He knocked once, he couldn't hear anything from inside, grabbing the doorknob he gave a twist and cursed when it opened. Pushing the door he peered into the dark room. The smell of urine and vomit hit him immediately.

He checked the wall next to the door and finding the light switch he flicked it on, the room was suddenly lit up and he could make out a lump on the mattress situated in the middle of the room.

"Jesus Christ what the fuck are you doing Linz?" Closing the door behind him he moved towards the bed, for the first time he noticed the greasy bags and soggy paper cups littering the room, not to mention the three or four empty bottles of booze spread out over the dresser and bedside tables. He stepped over soiled and smelly clothes as he got closer to the bed. Making out the greasy blonde hair spread out over the pillow he grabbed the naked shoulder in front of him and gave it a yank. The limp body rolled over with a moan and Brian had to take a step back from the smell that came off her.

He noticed right away she was naked. He checked her breathing and felt her forehead, no fever, no rapid breaths so he stepped around the bed and turned the bathroom light on, he realized this was where the vomit smell was coming from. Stepping over the mess directly in-front of the toilet he threw a towel over it, turning towards the shower he turned the water on, tested it for a few seconds, turned a bit more hot on, just enough to take off the chill and headed back towards the bed.

Not really wanting to touch the filthy blanket he put both hands in her armpits and started to raise her up. He watched as her cell phone fell to the floor. He pulled her up and off the bed, that's when he noticed that she'd pissed in the bed. He couldn't make out the sputtering words that were coming from her mouth but he could see through the strands of her hair that her eyes were still closed.

"Put on a few pounds since you left Pitts haven't you Lindsay." He pulled until she was standing up-right, he half carried her, half dragged her to the shower. It wasn't until he pushed the curtain back that he looked fully at her. He laughed out loud.

"I should take a fucking picture of you like this, pull it out every time you piss me off." 

His statement was swallowed up by high shrill screams when the water hit her. She pushed and pulled against him but he wasn't letting go.

"Are you fucking awake now Linz...cause I'm going to let you go. If you fall on your ass it's your own fucking fault bitch." Brian told her calmly.

She threw herself against the back of the shower as soon as he left go.

"Brian, what the fuck are you doing?" She sputtered pushing her wet hair out of her face.

"Sobering you up. What the fuck are you doing?"

He could see the moment it hit her that he was really here and this wasn't one of her alcohol induced dreams. First she dropped her hands, and then her shoulders drooped. Then her face started to screw up. Brian knew what was coming, but he wasn't going to let it happen.

"Oh Briiiaaannnn."

"Stop right fucking there. You start crying and I'm gone, you understand. I'm not gonna let you turn this into some kind of fucking pity party. Do you understand me?"

It was amazing, one second there were tears, in the next her face turned to granite.

"I need your help."

"We are helping you. We're gonna get you cleaned up and then we're going to the house."

"We? Brian I told you not to..."

"And I told you, you don't get to call the fucking shots Lindsay."

"But you have to listen to me. I know how we can get Gus back. I worked it out. I know what we have to do." She moved forward as if she was going to touch him, but Brian backed up.

"Get back under that water. You stink. Wash yourself up, get dressed and THEN we'll discuss what we are going to do to get my son back." Brian told her as he tossed one of the motels stained washcloths at her. He turned and left the bathroom.

He spied Justin dropping a carrier of large cups onto the dresser. "How is she?"

"Smell this fucking room, that's from her. She ran away from her family, set herself up in this fucking dive for three days and got stinking drunk and pissed and vomited all over the fucking place."

"That doesn't sound like Lindsay." Justin calmly told him. "Whatever's happened must be big."

"I don't fucking care what happened. She doesn't abandon my son. She just doesn't do that." Brian said as he moved up next to Justin. The younger man wrapped his arms around his lover and squeezed tight.

"It's going to be okay Brian, no matter what you and Mel think of each other Mel would never hurt Gus." 

Brian nodded. "And if Lindsay was like this in Toronto I would have taken Gus from her too."

"No! You don't mean that Brian, you can't." Lindsay screamed from the bathroom doorway. She stood dripping wet in the doorway, no towel in sight.

"Jesus Lindsay, would you cover the fuck up." Brian yelled as he moved around her and snagged a towel off the rack. Wrapping it around her he grabbed another one and started wiping her dry.

Lindsay burrowed into his chest, "You have to send him away Brian, send him back to New York. My plan won't work if he's here."

Brian motioned towards Justin, "grab some of her clothes, I want to get her dressed and get the fuck out of here as quickly as possible."

Justin moved to the suitcase in the corner and started rummaging through it. Grabbing some jeans and a t-shirt they started getting  
her dressed.

Lindsay suddenly reached out and grabbed Justin's shirt, "you have to leave Justin, you have to go, if we want to get Gus back, if you really love Brian you have to leave."

Justin just stood and stared at her, he had never seen her like this before, he didn't know this woman, this wasn't his friend, this woman scared him.

Brian pulled Lindsay till she faced him, "Lindsay enough with the fucking leaving shit. Justin is not going anywhere and if you loved me you wouldn't ask him too."

Her face took on this dreamy look, "I do love you Brian; I've always loved you, that's why Justin has to leave. Once he's gone we can get married and then we'll get our son back."

*******

"Jesus Lindsay get back in the fucking tub, you're still drunk." Brian couldn't believe what she had just said. "We are going to get Gus back but nobody is marrying anyone."

"No Brian, listen to me, I've talked to a lawyer, and all we have to do is get married. We petition the courts for full custody of Gus." Linz clung to Brian, desperately trying to make him understand. "Once that's taken care of we can take Mel to court and get your parental rights re-instated."

Most of what she had said came out all slurred together but for the most part they had both understood it. Brian just shook his head and turned to Justin, he could make out the shock in the younger man's eyes. "Justin get her stuff together; then head over to the office and pay her bill. Use the emergency credit card. I just want to get the fuck out of here now."

He watched as the blond collected himself and started grabbing up the dirty clothes lying around the room. He handed them to Brian and watched as Brian fought to redress the woman.

"Brian did you hear me, that's all we have to..." Lindsay's voice was getting very shrill as she pushed his hands away.

"Lindsay right now all I want to hear from you is silence. Understand? Just shut your fucking mouth." Brian finshed with the clothes and pushed her down onto the bed, glancing around he looked up as Justin handed him her shoes, he shoved them onto her feet. He watched as Justin moved the suitcase to the door. He turned back and started collecting all the trash.

"Leave it; let the fucking maid clean it up."

"Brian..." Justin began.

Brian rolled his eyes. "I'll leave a big fucking tip alright, just leave the fucking garbage and go pay the bill."

Justin grabbed the suitcase and left the room.

Brian looked up and could see the anger radiating from Lindsay's eyes.

Brian smirked and shook his head, "Be pissed, go right ahead, at this point I don't fucking care. You leave us here in Pittsburgh worried out of our fucking minds about our son and you're off getting yourself fucking plastered. I don't have any pity for you at all."

Once again, like earlier in the shower Brian saw the change come over Lindsay face, where a second ago was anger, now there was an innocent pleading.

"Who's we, you can't be talking about Justin because Gus is not his son. He belongs to you and me. He's what will hold us together forever; just you me and Gus forever."

"Linz I swear to God you do not want to bring up that fucking word right now, between you and my other 'best friend' I don't want to hear the word forever for the rest of my fucking life." Brian stood up and threw a couple of twenties on the table top. Grabbing her coat he wrapped it around her shoulders.

"But you're my Peter..." Lindsay started to say.

"Can the fucking Peter and Wendy shit!" Brian roared. "I'm not your fucking fairy tale, do you understand me. I'm not your fucking husband; I'm not your secret love. I'm your friend. At least I thought I was. But the last few months maybe I'm not even that. You can not begin to fathom how fucking pissed I am at you right now Linz, you and fucking Michael. Pissed about Gus, about what you just said to Justin..."

"But Brian, Justin has t...."

"Shut the fuck up Lindsay. Not another word." Yanking her up he moved to the door, not even bothering to turn out lights or close the door he headed for the car. "You puke in the car you will pay to have it cleaned, understand?"

"Brian where's the 'vette, why are you driving a SUV?" Lindsay questioned.

"It's a rental Linz." Justin said as he opened the door, "it's my rental."

Lindsay nodded. "At least you have a way to leave now..." 

Brian roughly shoved her into the backseat. "Not a word, not one word."

"Brian what the hell is going on?" Justin asks as he looked back and forth between Brian and Linz.

"I don't know Justin, but as soon as we get to West Virginia I'm going to be finding out." Brian moved around the front of the car, heading for the drivers side. "And something tells me we aren't going to like it."

*******

Ben rolled over and listened to the quiet in the house. He'd heard Michael come in around one-thirty this morning, surprising himself he hadn't questioned his husband, he'd just pretended to be asleep. Pretense had turned into truth around three-thirty and now it looked like he'd missed Michael again. Glancing over at the clock he noticed it was seven-ten am. Michael had been going into the shop earlier and earlier the last few weeks. Ben remembered when Michael used to wake up with Ben in the morning and the two of them would take a shower together, make breakfast and talk about their schedule for the day. He wouldn't leave for the shop until around nine-thirty, more than a few times the two of them would leave together. Looked like those days were a thing of the past.

Pushing the covers back he sat up on the side of the bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He'd done a lot of thinking last night, he'd finally come to the conclusion that he had to leave. Take some time by himself to figure out what he wanted to do. He reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the phone. Punching in a few numbers he waited for the other end to be picked up.

"Karen, this is Professor Bruckner, if you could let Phil know that I'm going to be out for a few days, probably until Monday. Ask him if he can get Professor Millar or Green to cover my classes."

"No, no I'm not sick, I'm fine Karen. I just have some things I have to take care of. Just tell him it's a family emergency. Okay, thank you Karen."

He reached over and pulled the bedside drawer open and took out a small red plastic booklet, leafing through the pages he found what he was looking for and punched in another set of numbers.

"Mark, this is Ben Bruckner, do you still have that basement apartment for rent? Yeah, can I move in today?"

He nodded his head a few times, "No problem, do you need cash or will you take a check?"

"Alright I'll be there in about three hours, is that okay? Yes, I'll see you then. Bye." Hitting end he replaced the phone. He stood and grabbed the same pair of jeans he'd taken off last night he then moved to his closet and yanked a shirt off a hanger and pulled it on. Bending over he started rooting around in the bottom of the closet. Finally finding what he needed he stood and moved back to the bed. Unzipping the large canvas bag he laid it on the bed and placing both hands inside he spread the opening outward. He looked into the bottom of the bag and noticed something in it. Reaching down he grabbed the shiny blue material that rested on the bottom of the bag. Pulling them out he held them up in front of his face.

"What the fuck?" Flipping the material over he searched for the tag on the waist band of the silk boxers. Medium/Slim stared back at him. He knew for a fact that Michael wore small and he himself wore large boxers, neither of them owned any silk ones. Hunter only wore white briefs. Who the hell did these belong too?

********

Next morning at Kinnetic...

"Are you sure I can't do anything for you Ted?" Janet asks the man standing next to her desk. He'd been there for almost ten minutes now. She watched as he checked his watch for the third time, he was starting to make her nervous. Everyone else was in the conference room, shouldn't he be in there for the weekly meeting she asked herself.

"No. I'm good." Ted smiled at her.

Janet was so glad when the phone started ringing. Hitting a button she spoke into her headset. "Kinnetic's, this is Janet how may I direct your call?"

"One moment and I'll connect your call. Have a nice day." She hit a button and looked back at Ted. He smiled at her again but before she had a chance to say anything the phone rang again.

"Kinnetic's, this is Janet how may I direct your call?" 

"One moment and I'll connect your call. Have a nice day."

"Are you sure I can't help you with something Ted, I mean if I've done something wrong..."

The phone rang one more. Turning back to the telephone she hit the glowing button. "Kinnetic's, this is Janet how may I direct your call?"

"One moment and I'll connect your call. Have a nice day."

She pulled her headset off her ears and turned to Ted, "Like I said if I've done something..."

"No, you haven't done anything wrong..." Ted started to explain when the phone once again started to ring.

Janet quickly replaced her headset and hit the button. Mr. Schmidt was starting to creep her out.

Suddenly grimacing she rolled her eyes. "Mr. Novotney Mr. Kinney is in a meeting, may I take a message?" She disconnected the call with a bit more force then she meant too.

"I guess Michael doesn't get a 'have a nice day'. Ted inquired with a smile.

Janet blushed. "I'm sorry sir, but if they are rude to me don't expect me to be nice to them, especially not him."

"Oh no need to apologize I understand completely." Ted said as he turned and walked to the conference room door. "Oh and Janet, you have a nice day."

*******

Deb waved as Carl, Emmett and the kids drove off. Turning she closed her front door and moved to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. She watched as Mel hung up the phone.

"I left a message on Michael's cell phone telling him that we're in town." Mel told the older woman. Carl and Emmett had taken the kids to the park for the afternoon so that Debbie could have some time alone with Mel. When they'd gotten home last night neither Mel nor the kids could keep their eyes open. So after setting up the old crib that Debbie had bought at a yard sale for her granddaughter Mel had laid down with Gus in the new pullout love seat in Michael's old room. Mother and son were both asleep by the time Debbie came to check on them. She figured she'd let Mel sleep and they could talk in the morning.

Debbie motioned her over to the sofa. "Yeah, that's basically what I do nowadays. He never answers his cell anymore. So I just leave a message and hope he gets it."

"You said earlier he was throwing a temper tantrum, what's going on?" Mel questioned as she took a seat next to Deb, grabbing a pillow she pulled her feet up and snuggled into the cushions.

"Well, let me see. Everything was fine, Justin had left for New York, you and Linz left for Toronto, he was sad about the baby but I think having Brian all to himself again made him deliriously happy."

Mel laughed, "I can just imagine. The Brian and Mikey show."

Deb rolled her eyes, "tell me about it. But there was one little problem. Brian wasn't around much. Between work, visiting Gus and Justin he was too busy to play with Michael."

"Ouch." Mel grimaced. "Bet that didn't make him happy."

"Not at all. So every time he did see Brian he just couldn't stop himself from bitchin' about Justin. I warned him, Ben warned him, but no, he couldn't listen. So, a few weeks ago it finally came to a head. He went to Kinnetic, said something smart about Justin and Ted threw him out."

"Ted...not Brian, Ted?" Mel was amazed; she didn't think the mild mannered accountant had it in him.

Deb nodded, "You haven't seen Teddy in quite awhile, having Blake in his life, working with Brian, getting counseling at the clinic; all of those things have really brought a change to our little Teddy. He's more confident, stronger. And that day, Michael crossed a line and Ted tossed his ass out."

"What did Michael do?" Mel was curious to know what could have brought about Brian letting Ted throw Michael out.

"Nobody knows. Ted ain't talking, and we both know that Brian will never say a word. And for the first time in his life Michael isn't talking either. It seems that Michael is not making himself available to the family. Hell, I don't think he's been spending much time with Ben either. And that is going to blow up in his face sooner or later. But Carl made me promise to stay out of it, whatever the hell it is."

"You know I didn't even realize until about a week ago that Michael hasn't called to ask about JR for about a month. But with everything going on with Lindsay I didn't want to call him and get interrogated." 

"So what is going on with Lindsay, what the hell happened?" Debbie quietly asked her.

"I'm not really sure, maybe I wasn't paying enough attention to her, or maybe it was the move away from Brian and the family. I don't know. She started talking about moving back here and I just wouldn't listen; there was no way I would admit that I'd made a mistake."

"That's twice now you said 'I'. Not 'we' but 'I'. I thought moving to Canada was a joint decision?"

Mel grimaced. "Maybe that's what I told myself. I'm the one who brought it up first, and then I just kept going on and on, making references to the Holocaust, and questioning the safety of our kids, everything that I could to make Linz agree with me."

"So you coerced her into moving to Canada. If all those things you mentioned weren't the real reason what was?" Deb already knew the answer to that question, but she wanted to see what Mel would say.

A very loud sigh left Mel's mouth. Deb was startled when she suddenly jumped up and started pacing around the room. "I don't know..."

"Yeah, you do sweetie, but until you actually face it you and Lindsay will never be able to move on."

"Alright, I know what it is. What it was. Fucking Brian Kinney! That's why I wanted my family out of Pittsburgh. I wanted to move somewhere that wasn't associated with Brian Kinney, a place where I could take care of MY family. ME, Lindsay's wife, Gus's mother. A place where every decision I made for MY son didn't mean having that fucking asshole second guessing me. Waiting for me to fuck up and then he could step in and take them away from me."

Debbie just sat and looked at her; Mel could clearly tell she was stunned.

"Wow. I didn't realize how scared you are of Brian."

"SCARED! I'm not fucking scared, and especially not of that God damned dick driven asshole."

Debbie's head was nodding up and down. "Yes you are, you're fucking terrified. But you have no reason to be. Brian would no more take your son away from you then he'd cut off his leg. He loves Gus, there's no fucking doubt about that, but he doesn't want to take him from you, he never has."

"Well there's where you are wrong. He's never hidden the fact that he can't stand me, hates me. He never wanted Lindsay with me in the first place." Mel's voice was rising with each word.

"Keep your fucking voice down, if this is what those kids had to listen to in Toronto no wonder they're nervous wrecks. Sit down and shut-up and listen to me." When there was no movement from Mel Deb pointed to the seat next to her. "Sit your damn ass down now!"

Mel slowly came around the coffee table and flopped down onto the sofa. She didn't look over at Debbie.

"Maybe you don't recall the night you and Brian met, but I do, it was right here in this very room. We were waiting for Brian to arrive..."

"As usual..." Mel snorted as she leaned back and grabbed the throw pillow again.

"I said shut-up and listen and I mean it!" Deb reached over and snatched the pillow out of Melanie's arms, she tossed it a cross the room, turning back she glared at the slouching woman. "Do you happen to remember the first thing you said to him that night, do you?"

Mel shook her head back and forth, "no, and I really don't want to know."

"When Lindsay introduced you to Brian her face was lit up like a Christmas tree, she couldn't wait for the two most important people in her life to finally meet. She was practically bouncing on her toes. She pulled you into her side and reached out and took Brian's hand and said 'Brian I'd like you to meet Melanie Marcus, my lover.' And she fucking beamed at you, so proud at that moment."

Mel grimaced.

"And I'll never forget what came out of your mouth. You looked him up and down and then turned to Lindsay and said 'I thought you said he was hot?' And he turned to you and said 'at least I have a dick'. And you two have been fighting ever since."

"So fucking what, like this comes as a fucking surprise, he's an asshole everyone knows it." Mel snapped.

"You're not getting it Mel, you fired the first volley. In some big immature childish gesture you declared war on Brian Kinney. You tried to put him in his place and when it didn't work you turned him into an asshole in your mind. And you were so busy glaring at him that night you never noticed the hurt and pain on Lindsay's face." Deb shook her head. "You came here that night with your mind already made up that Brian was some sort of threat to Lindsay and your relationship so Brian became what you wanted. Because sweetie that's what Brian does. To keep those closest to him he gives us what he thinks we want. We've always said he's an ass; we've always blamed him for our own fuck-ups because he lets us. It's his way of keeping us in his life. He truly believed that that's the way it should be."

Mel laughed, "Where in the hell did you ever get that idea, you reading Michael's comics Deb?"

The older woman shook her head, "No, I've been talking with Carl. My husband is pretty damn smart. He gets paid to observe and understand people. He caught on real quick that Brian is our scapegoat. All of us use him to feel good about ourselves."

"Bullshit!" Mel exclaimed. "I've never used that fucker for anything; I don't need him for anything."

"What about Gus?" Debbie quietly asks. "You wouldn't have a son if it wouldn't be for Brian Kinney."

"I never wanted to use his sperm in the first place that was Linz; I wanted to use some anonymous donor."

"How much money do you think an anonymous donor would have given you?" Debbie stated. "Who would have come up with the down payment you girls needed back when you first bought the house?"

"I had money." Mel answered. "But we needed to have something for savings, something in case of emergencies."

"You were buying a house, and you didn't even think to use your own money?" You could hear the astonishment in Deb's voice, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"It was the money my father left me." Mel whispered.

"Honey, when you decided to have a relationship, buy a home together, there is no mine or yours...just ours." Debbie sighed. "I didn't have a Brian to give me my down payment; I had to work three jobs to make it happen. And I had a son to take care of."

Mel didn't say anything, so Debbie continued.

"How do you think we could afford Vic's meds when he came back from New York sick as a dog? Or when we got back from Italy and had all those credit card companies after us?"

"The Asshole who else." Mel sneered.

Debbie nodded, "yes, that asshole paid for most of Vic's meds, plus slipped a few bills into my mortgage envelope each month. Hell Mel, why do you think it took Brian so long to pay off the loft."

"Money, so the fucker has loads of money to throw around. Still doesn't make him a fucking saint Deb."

"And what happened when you cheated on your partner and YOU made the decision to leave?" Debbie kept her eyes on the mantel above the fireplace, remembering those awful memories from that time.

"Fucking French frog." Melanie whispered.

Debbie turned and glared at Mel, "guess when you say fucking frog it's not the same as fucking Jew?"

Mel turned and glared back at Debbie sputtering, "what, why...how could you..?."

"I would think you of all people wouldn't stoop to ethnic name calling, even if you hated the fucker." Debbie snapped. "But we're digressing, that French fart moved in and you didn't know what to do, so who did you run too?"

"Jesus." Mel whispered covering her face with her hands.

"And did he even once condemn you for fucking around on your partner, no he did not." Debbie continued. "So he did the one thing he knew would get the two of you back together, he gave you the rights to his son."

Debbie struggled to sit up, agitation suddenly echoing through her voice. "And let me tell you something little girl, he didn't do that because he didn't want that baby, oh no, Justin told me how he would sit up at night and drive himself crazy agonizing over what he could do to get the two of you back together. And he did it. He did it goddamn it and it cost him his son. You two fuck up and he has to give up something precious to him to make it better. Who's the one who is more fucked up here, huh? He signed those papers and offered you the deal and you took it. And not once did you say thank you. NOT FUCKING ONCE!"

Again Mel said nothing.

"And don't forget whose money set you up with that beautiful Goddamn wedding, you remember that don't you, the wedding that was falling apart all around you two. And off you go bitching and moaning until he fixed it. And once again, no thank you."

"So that he could throw it back in my face, no thank you."

"Apparently you're still not getting it. What the fuck has he ever thrown anything back in your face?"

"He's constantly harping on the fact that he and Lindsay had a relationship..."

Debbie started shaking her head back and forth vigorously, "no he doesn't. You and your partner are the ones who won't fucking let it go. Brian never mentions the fact that he and Linz fucked in college. We didn't know until you screamed it out during a fight at the family Christmas party that first year. Your insecurities and jealousies put more into what Brian says then what's actually being said."

"That's bullshit..." Mel started.

"No it's not. He's never brought it up first. You are the one that can't deal with the fact that your partner might still have feelings for her best friend...her gay best friend. Brian let it go years ago, but you keep bringing it up and yes, if you continue to throw it in his face, he's going to USE it as ammunition to get back at you, Christ you hand it to him on a silver fucking platter. Brian Kinney is never going to back down from a fight, especially one that he knows he can win because of your insecurities. You do it to yourself." 

"Like fuck I do. He's the one that..."

"Yes you do, it's like Teddy said on the phone yesterday, you think you have to prove that you are the better man. Look at me; I have bigger balls than Brian Kinney. And honey that's a fight you are never going to win, because he will never...ever let you see that you are getting to him. And you do Mel, you might not realize it but each and every time you do it you hurt him. Especially when you do it in front of his son."

"But what the fuck am I supposed to do? Linz runs to him for every fucking thing." Mel snapped.

"Exactly...now you're starting to get it. SHE runs to him. He can't control what Lindsay does. And anyway what do you expect him to do, turn his back on his friend. Hell, even if he says he's not going to help, he does anyway. Fucker just doesn't tell anyone about it just does something behind our backs." Debbie told her, finger flying through the air. "And between the two of them Michael and Lindsay can manipulate Brian Kinney better than anyone else. And they do."

"So, what I was supposed to do, go to Lindsay about my feelings, tell my wife that I'm terrified that she's going to leave me for Brian?" Mel argued

"Christ, isn't that what married people do?" Deb raised both hands in the air to prove her point. "They tell each other the truth."

Mel jumped up from the sofa and stood over Deb, "Well guess what Deb, I tried to talk to my wife, and what did she do, she ran to Brian. She left her family and ran straight to her best friend, her gay best friend."

"Mel I told you Linz isn't with Brian." Just as Debbie made her pronouncement the phone started to ring.

"Just sit your ass down, this discussion isn't over." Debbie told her as she moved to answer the phone.

"Horvath Residence." Debbie said into the phone.

"Brian."

Mel quickly jumped up and moved towards the telephone. "Let me talk to him."

"What, she's there? Hold on Brian, Mel's here." Debbie motioned for Mel to take the phone.

"I knew it, I fucking knew it. Where the fuck is my wife?" Mel screamed into the phone.

"Hello Mel, miss me?" Was Brian's glib reply. "Where the fuck is my son?"

"My son is with me, where is his mother?"

"Get your fucking ass out to the West Virginia house now." Brian demanded.

"I don't take orders from you asshole, where the hell..."

"Get your fucking ass out here and we can discuss your wife." Brian snapped. "Deb has the address, get it from her and don't bring the kids."

"Listen here..." Mel started till she heard the click of the phone disconnecting. "Son-of-bitch. He hung up on me, the bastard hung up..."

"What did he say?" Debbie asked.

"It's not what he said, it's what he demanded." Mel bitched. "The fucker had the nerve to tell me to get my ass out to the fucking house out in West Virginia."

"It sounds to me like if you want answers you better get your ass out to the house." Deb questioned. "And don't worry about the kids; I'll watch them for as long as you need me too."

Mel sighed and rolled her shoulders, "I guess I'm going to West Virginia."

********

Mel pulled Debbie's station wagon into the driveway and looked up at the house in front of her.

"This can't be the right place." She said as she pulled the directions off the dash and looked at the numbers written at the top of the paper. According to Deb this was the right address, but it couldn't be, this was a fucking mansion. Shaking her head she exited the car. She noticed a black SUV and a silver Rolls-Royce parked next to it. "What the fuck is going on? I swear to God if this is some kind of sick joke on Kinney's part I'll kick his ass."

Stepping out of the car she looked up as the door was suddenly opened and Justin came running out. A smile broke out on her face and she raised both arms. "Baby."

"Mel, I am so glad to see you." Justin told her as he wrapped his arms around the slim woman.

"What the hell is going on Justin? Is Lindsay here? I knew she would run straight to..."

"Mel, it's not what you think. We didn't even know where Linz was till late yesterday. As soon as Brian got her settled and Doctor Walker could check her out he called you?"

"Doctor, why the hell does she need a fucking doctor?" Mel yelled. Turning from Justin she ran to the open door. Heading into the first room she could find she started yelling out Lindsay name.

"Jesus Christ, would you stop with the fucking yelling." Brain said as he crossed the hall from the kitchen, a cup of coffee in his hand. "We've had no sleep for two fucking days; just calm down. Have a seat and we can talk about this."

"What the hell is going on Brian, where is Lindsay?" Mel demanded. "Just tell me where she is and we'll be gone and you can have your fucking silence back again."

"Sit down." Brian told her.

"Just tell me where..."

"Mel." Justin quietly said from the doorway, for the first time she noticed the dark circles under his eyes, turning towards Brian she could see the same dark circles on his face also.

"Mel please just sit down and Brian will explain everything." Justin smiled at her but she noticed it wasn't one of his Sunshine smiles.

"Justin what the hell is going on? Why does Linz need a doctor" Mel said as she moved to the sofa and sat on the very edge of it. She closed her eyes and her hands turned into fist. She squeezed her hands together so tightly her fingers turned white. Taking a few deep breaths she calms herself down. Opening her eyes she relaxes her hands, spreading them out over her kneecaps she turns to Justin. "Is Lindsay hurt?"

"No." Brian said. "She's just confused right now."

"Brian." Justin says, "Tell her the truth."

Mel's dragging her eyes back and forth between the two men. "Somebody just tell..."

Brian rolled his eyes and took a seat directly a cross from Mel. "She's not hurt Mel, she's not. I just thought it might be better if Doctor Walker checks her out first. That's all. Like I said she was confused about a few things..."

Justin interrupted. "She's not thinking straight and we thought..."

"How long has she been here?" Mel demanded. "I knew she would run straight to you, I fucking knew it."

"She called Brian late yesterday afternoon. We were packing to come to Toronto when Brian got a call on his cell phone. She said she was staying at a motel here in Pittsburgh for the past three days." Justin said as he took a seat next to Brian on the arm of the sofa. "We picked her up from the motel and brought her here."

Mel looked around for the first time. The only furniture in the room was the two sofas' they were sitting on, no tables, and no chairs. There wasn't even a lamp or picture anywhere. "I didn't think you were even living here?"

"We're not." Justin told her, "We rented this furniture this morning, along with a table for the kitchen and a bed for..."

"Who the fuck cares about the furniture. You're wife is up-stairs right now talking to a Goddamn shrink because she's gone off the deep end. Want to explain to me how long she's been fucking crazy Mel?"

"Crazy? Okay, a little delusion, but Linz is not crazy." Mel snapped.

"And Emmett isn't a flaming queen." Brian snapped back. "She's talking about her and I getting married and taking custody of Gus from you. Now if that's not fucking nuts I don't know what is."

"WHAT? What the fuck are you talking about?" Mel screamed. "She wanted to come home, that's all, there was no fucking talk of marrying you! You did this didn't you; you led her to believe..."

"Mel stop it." Justin raised his voice. "Brian has stayed out of it because you and Lindsay asked for some time in Toronto to get things settled, and he gave you that time. He called you and asks you what the hell was going on when he didn't hear from either of you and you wouldn't give him any answers. So now here we are trying to explain to you about your wife and you just want to find someway to blame it on Brian. Why don't you stop trying to blame Brian and start discussing how the fuck we're going to help your wife?"

Mel was shocked; Justin never talked to her like this.

Once again Mel closed her eyes and squeezed her hands together; she took a few deep breaths and tried again. "Okay, who is Doctor Walker?" Mel asked.

"Doctor Amelia Walker is a friend of Daphne's. She's a..." Justin turned and looked at Brian.

"She's a Psychologist." Brian told her. "And she says that Lindsay is so deeply delusional that the only way we can help her is if we commit her."


	4. The Bitch, The Brat, The Boom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all comes together...and explodes.

Mel eyed the small woman sitting in the chair in front of her. "So what you're telling me is that Lindsay has created this fantasy world where everything will be fine if she just marries Brian?"

"In layman's terms it could be described in that way." Doctor Amelia Walker set her foam coffee cup down on the small box that Justin had set up as an impromptu coffee table. "But it goes much deeper than that. It's just not that she's created it; people create fantasy worlds all the time. They become bored in business meetings or classes, they daydream, or as they lay in bed at night they come up with different scenarios of what their fantasy life entails, almost as if they are writing a script. These are normal everyday dealings with fantasy lives. It's a stress reliever in which we use to get through our normal everyday lives, thoughts and dreams that are in everyone's head. But with delusional disorders the patient may take it one step further. They have not only created this life, they believe they are actually living it."

"And moving to Canada has caused this?"

The other woman shook her head, "Not alone, it could be a factor but this isn't something that just started a few months ago. This is something that has been going on in Lindsay's mind for quite some time."

"But why didn't we know, I mean if she really wanted to be married to Brian why didn't she just say so?" Mel's confusion was evident in her voice.

"At this point I can't answer those questions. And you have to remember everything we've discussed here today is complete speculation, I still haven't gotten the entire picture yet, and I'd feel much more comfortable waiting before making a quick diagnosis until I've spent more time talking with all of you." Doctor Walker reached down and pulled a brochure out of the leather satchel sitting at her feet. She handed it to Mel. "Ms Marcus I'm not going to mislead you here. To help Lindsay we will need a complete history of the patient and a thorough examination, physical, neurological, mental, and laboratory, for which our facilities are excellent. Ten to fourteen days are usually required to make a report of examinations and a provisional diagnosis."

"Fourteen days!" Mel's disbelief evident in every syllable, she sighed and looked down at the cover of the paper in her hand.

The doctor nodded, "The value of such examinations is three-fold. It makes possible a definite diagnosis, reveals the line of treatment needed, and, when repeated, affords a check upon the results of treatment and progress of the patient. Diagnosis is important because of its bearing on prognosis, some conditions having a better outlook than others."

"And we do all this and Lindsay will get better?" Mel questioned. 

"Again, I will not lie, it's difficult to tell at this point without having all information at hand, but we do have a seventy-six percent recovery rate." The doctor smiled, "Check out the brochure, if you have any questions give me a call. We have twenty-four hour on-call services, the numbers on the back of the brochure. No matter what the time if you need to speak with a doctor one will be made available to you."

"Hillside Treatment Center," Mel read from the brochure. "It looks like some kind of fucking country club."

Mel's language didn't seem to disturb the other woman; she kept her smile when she replied. "Our founder Doctor James Hill believed that comfort matters just as much as science. He wanted a place where our clients would feel relaxed and comfortable. Read over the brochure; talk it over with your family even if you decide not to make use of our facilities and medical care just know that there are other places you can consider. No matter what there is a place where Lindsay can get the help she needs."

Both women looked up as Brian and another man entered the room.

"Ms. Marcus I'd like to introduce you to my colleague Doctor Russell Williams. He's a Psychiatrist on staff at Hillside. I asked his advice when we couldn't get Lindsay to calm down."

"I don't understand, why did you have to call another doctor?" Mel asked as she shook the other man's hand.

Doctor Russell was the one who answered her, "As Doctor Walker mentioned we couldn't get Lindsay to calm down last night, when Brian couldn't get her out of the agitated state she was in we tried a few meditation exercises but that didn't work either. So, at that point I felt we needed to prescribe something to help her sleep."

Mel shook her head in confusion; she looked at Doctor Walker and asked again. "I still don't understand why couldn't you just give her a sedative, why did you have to call in another doctor?"

Doctor Walker smiled as she explained. "Because I'm a Psychologist, not a Psychiatrist, I can't treat patients with narcotics." 

Mel coldly stared at Brian. She watched as the man glared back at her, the only thing giving his emotions away was that fact that he'd sucked both lips over his teeth. She knew him enough to know that he was fighting himself against making some kind of smart ass comment to her.

"If we're finished here Millie I think its best that we get back to the clinic. Like I said Mr. Kinney if you need anything just call the number on the card." The man and woman took turned shaking Brian's hand, then Mel's.

Brian stood and watched the silver Rolls-Royce drive down the drive-way. He waited till they were out of site and then turning he shut the door.

"So when did you fuck him, I mean all I got was a fucking brochure but you get the son-of-a-bitch's card?" Mel sneered from the living room doorway.

"That would have been a new experience, fucking a married man while his wife sits downstairs and tries to help your frigid fucking ass out." Brian said as he moved towards the kitchen.

"Like that would have stopped you." Mel snapped following right behind him. "Why the fuck didn't you call me when she first contacted you."

Moving towards the refrigerator he yanked it open and grabbed three beers, turning he handed one to Mel, turning he handed the other to Justin. Dropping into a chair next to Justin Brian shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know Mel, could it have been because you threw her ass out. In a foreign country. With no friends. Or family. And you didn't even have the fucking brains to tell that she was in serious fucking trouble and not thinking straight. Gee, which one should I choose?"

"Oh no you don't, you are not blaming this on me, and I'm not the one who called those two fucking quacks in to..."

"Doctor Amelia Walker and her husband Russell Williams are not quacks. They are both prominent Pittsburgh doctors, along with working at Hillside Treatment Center they both volunteer at the free clinic downtown. They are also our dear sweet Daphne's mentors, so be very careful what you say about them."

"Who the fuck cares who they are; she is still my fucking wife Brian..."

"But only when it's convenient for you. You fuck somebody else, out she goes, she fucks somebody else out she goes. You drag her ass off to another country so that you can get her away from me and when that doesn't work out so well out she goes. I guess in those vows you took the 'for better or worse' line really just meant the better times, was that it Mel." Brian's voice remained calm; it was almost as he didn't care about the subject matter one way or another. "And you call me a fucking control freak."

"Oh I get it alright, I fuck up and once again the Great God Kinney gets to ride in on his silver horse and save the fucking day." Mel screamed.

"Well then maybe you shouldn't fuck up so much should you?"

Mel jaw was hanging open as she turned to look at Justin.

"Justin," Mel's eyes clearly showed her shock. "I can't believe you just said that to me. I thought you were better than him, I thought..."

"Well you thought wrong. I am your friend Mel, but that has never stopped me from realizing that you've been at war with Brian for Lindsay's love since the day I met you. It also hasn't stopped me from noticing that you can't deal with Brian and Lindsay relationship..." Justin began quietly.

"They don't have a fucking relationship..." Mel sneered.

Justin stood up, "yes, they do. They've been friends for a long time. You knew going into your relationship with Lindsay that she was close to Brian, you knew it and you still fought it, every fucking day. Plus you never once, not even once tried to understand it or come to terms with it. You've been waging this stupid fucking war for over ten fucking years, day in and day out. And with you being as smart as you are, you never realized how much hurt and pain you caused them each and every time."

"I caused! What about the fucking pain they caused me." Mel slammed the bottle down onto the marble top counter, luckily it didn't shatter. "Are you forgetting everything that I've had to put up with since day one?"

"Shit that you have brought upon yourself. You're the one who always attacks first." Justin looked her directly in the eye. "Brian has never gotten between you and Lindsay. You two manage to fuck up your life, but it's never your fault, it's always Brian's. And then there's always those times that you run out of money, but that's okay too, you can just get it from Brian. Which quite frankly I've never really understood that, maybe you could explain it to me, for someone who you claim you hate and have nothing but contempt for why is it that Brian's the first one you always fucking run to? And here's the mother load question Mel, if you knew you're wife was in love with Brian why are you still with her?"

Mel said nothing, just continued to glare at the younger man.

"Why blame Brian if Lindsay is the one who's flaunting the unrequited love? How is Brian supposed to control who loves him and who doesn't?"

"And Mel, just one more thing, have you ever noticed how Ben handles Michael's relationship with Brian? He deals with it in a mature and grown-up fashion. He doesn't blame Brian for Michael's obsession; he realizes that it's all on Michael. Just like the tension and strife that comes to your relationship is all from you. Ben just waits it out, picks his time and then sits down and quietly discusses his issues with Michael. Have you ever once thought about doing that? Have you ever just one fucking time thought about being honest with your partner?"

Brian moved up to stand behind his lover; he laid his hands on Justin's shoulders. "Justin, forget it...she won't listen, she never has, she never will. She hated me before she even knew me."

Justin turned and gentle kissed the taller man, "She's never known you."

Mel's lips moved but nothing came out of them. She recalled her conversation with Debbie this morning. The other woman had brought up some of these exact same points during their conversation.

She felt the tears gather in her eyes. She looked down at the floor and tried to compose herself. She remembered Debbie's accusation of fear. 

Both Brian and Justin turned and started to leave the kitchen. 

"Because...because I'm so fucking scared." Mel said raising her face to look as the other two people in the room turned back to look at her again. "I'm so fucking scared that I'll never be enough for her. What do I do if my wife really doesn't love me, not like she loves him?"

Justin moved close and took woman into his arms. "She isn't in love with him Mel; she hides behind her version of Brian. That's all. She doesn't want him, not like she wants you."

"Do you really believe that?" Mel sobbed.

Brian stepped up to the other two, "Mel, Lindsay sees fucking Peter Pan. Just like Michael, neither one of them actually ever really saw the real me. Not the Brian Kinney that Justin knows and loves."

Mel couldn't believe her ears. Brian Fucking Kinney had just admitted that he believes in love.

"Now I hate to cut this wonderful, cleansing lesbian moment short but I've got to go." Brian said, leaning down he pressed his lips against Justin's. Mel pushed back until she was clear of the other two men.

"You meeting Ted at the loft?" Justin questioned.

Ten years of baiting Brian Kinney wasn't going to stop just because Mel had finally admitted the truth, Mel spoke without thinking, "Ted, you're meeting Ted at the loft; don't tell me you're...."

Brian held up one finger, "do not, and I repeat do not even go there. Or I will kill you and they will never find your body. Remember Justin and I own all this land surrounding our castle."

"He's kidding..." Justin smirked as they watched Brian leave the room; turning to Mel he raised an eyebrow. "I think."

******

Ted waited for Brian at the door of his building. He watched as the man parked and made his way to meet him. Brian unlocked the door and both men headed to the elevator in silence. Mrs. Cooper was standing in front of it trying to grab hold of the raised gate.

"Let it go Mrs. Cooper we're on our way up." Brian told her as they reached the petite elderly woman.

She turned and glared at Ted, snaking her eyes from his head to his shoes. "You're not the one. You look like him but you're not him."

"Not the one what?" Ted questioned in a confused voice.

Mrs. Cooper rolled her eyes. "The houseboy, the one he won't let me borrow for my trip to see my sister."

"You have a houseboy?" Ted glanced at Brian who shrugged.

"I told you I wanted to borrow your houseboy but you never answered me." The woman stepped around them turning for the front door.

Ted's eyes light up, "oh, the houseboy."

"So what you're saying Mrs. Cooper is that Ted here looks like my houseboy?" Brian asked her.

She turned back, "Yeah, same coloring, same size, but the other one has more hair."

"I...I have hair." Ted stammered as he raised his hand to swipe his fingers through said hair.

"Get in the elevator Theodore." Brian smirked.

Neither of the men spoke again until they were at the door of the loft. 

"Brian I was thinking, well I was wondering..." Ted spoke as the door was opened.

"Well wander inside. And lock the door behind you." Brian tossed his keys at Ted, he turned and walked through the door, he headed directly for the storage closet on the other side of the kitchen. Unlocking the hidden door there he entered the small door.

"I was just thinking that maybe if you would rather watch the tape by yourself I would understand. I mean after all Michael is your best friend." Ted pushed the big metal door closed; he made sure it was locked. Laying Brian's keys on the kitchen counter he made his way into the living room area of the loft. When Brian didn't appear he walked back to the kitchen and spied a magazine on the counter top, reaching for it he opened it to the first page.

After about ten minutes Brian re-entered the loft, he was carrying a small silver disc in his hand. "Sit your ass down Schmidt. I'm going to need back up if what I suspect is on the damn thing, and you're my witness."

"Oh, it's not a video cassette." Ted said as he closed the magazine and walked back towards the living room.

"Welcome to the twenty-first century Theodore." Brian said as he moved to the large entertainment center in the middle of the room.

"Ha ha." Ted gave a fake smile as he took a seat on the sofa.

"It's a file on a computer; I just burned it to a cd while you waited." Brian told him.

Ted watched as Brian inserted the cd into the DVD machine. Walking backwards Brian sat on the glass top coffee table; Ted could see him pressing buttons on two remotes. He looked up as the television came on. After a few seconds a picture popped up on the screen.

Brian had already explained to Ted that the cameras were motion sensor; they wouldn't record unless someone was moving around. For a split second it just showed the loft door then a dark haired man walking up to the door. You could see the man fumbling with a bag and a key ring, the door was thrown open and the picture split down the middle, one half of the screen showing the angle from outside the loft, the second from inside. From the inside angle you could clearly recognize Michael Novotney as he moved into the loft, he dropped a white plastic bag onto the floor and stepped back to close the large heavy door. The picture switched to one single shot again.

"Christ...it IS Michael." Ted whispered.

Brian said nothing. And Ted realized why Brian had sat on the glass topped table; it was so that Ted couldn't see his face. He looked back at the television again and watched as Michael moved around the loft. He took his coat off and dropped it onto one of the bar stools. Reaching down he grabbed the plastic bag, Ted watched as he removed two bottles of water and set them on the countertop. Next he moved towards the steps and the screen split again until he was totally in the bedroom, then it went back to one again. He moved to the small bedside table. He took something small out of the bag and set it on the tabletop, it was too small to make out what it was. Turning he moved back into the living room which caused the screen to split for a few seconds. The single shot showed him turning to the radio and fiddling with the dial, soon soft romantic music filled the loft. Ted almost jumped when the screen split again; it showed a tall, lean brown haired man walking up to the loft door. He reached up and knocked twice.

"Jesus Christ Brian that guy looks a lot like you?" Ted said without thinking. And with that simple statement Ted realized what they were seeing. Michael had found himself a replacement for what he couldn't have.

******

Michael let himself in with his key, he knew that Ben was still at school and he could slip in and get out without having to deal with his partner.

The last few weeks of subterfuge and hiding were starting to take a toll on him. He felt exhausted. But Michael didn't know what else to do. He'd had this conversation with himself at least a thousand times in the past couple of months. He could end it now and go back to the way it was before or...or what? Michael didn't have any answers this time either. He couldn't stop it; like the big rock in Indian Jones and The Temple of Doom Michael's life just kept rolling downhill and he didn't know how to stop it. If he had Brian to talk to maybe it would make a difference, but then again if he had Brian he wouldn't be in this predicament. After all, this entire situation was Brian's fault.

He was halfway through the living room before he realized he wasn't alone in the house. Stopping he turned and looked over his shoulder.

A light was suddenly switched on in the corner. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the change in lighting. He could finally make out his husband just sitting in a chair staring at him. It took a second for Michael to notice the two stacks that were placed on the ottoman in front of Ben.

Shit Michael thought, he wasn't ready to deal with this, not yet...hell, not ever.

"Hello Michael." Ben simple said.

"B...B...Ben."

"I'm surprised you remember my name. But then again not as surprised as I was when I found these things hidden in the closet up-stairs...in our bedroom no less." Ben's facial expression didn't change while he talked.

"Ben I can explain..." Michael started to say, but before he'd even gotten the words out he knew he couldn't. There was no explanation for what he'd done.

"Well see, I'm not sure if I want to hear your explanation. Not anymore."

Michael took a step towards his husband. "Ben it's not what you think..."

"You have no fucking clue what I'm thinking Michael. I mean come on; you've been avoiding me for weeks, hell for months. You've been avoiding your mom, your children, your friends, no one has been able to figure out what the hell you're doing, and the few times I have tried to talk to you about it you either get pissed or suddenly have to get to work or some place else that isn't here." Ben's voice had risen with every word. 

"Well we have been busy at the store..." Michael started to explain.

"How's Jimmy?"

Michael looked confused, "Jimmy...Jimmy who?"

"You know Jimmy, the kid that works at the shop. The one you were doing inventory with this week."

Michael didn't lose the look of confusion on his face. "I guess he's fine."

"Well then maybe you could explain to me how you could possibly be doing inventory this week with somebody who left Pittsburgh two damn months ago?" Ben tilted his head to the side, "How can that be Michael?"

"Ben I told you, I can explain everything, I just need..." 

"What, time to come up with a good story?" Ben waived his hand in the air, "time to write one of those comic book stories you love so much, tell me, is some hero going to come in and save you Michael?"

"Ben." The name came out more of a sob.

Ben stood. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving..."

"No, you can't..." Michael moved closer but with one look from Ben he took a step back again.

"Yes I can. You don't feel the need to tell me what the hell is going on...well I like to think of myself as a smart man, I can read between the lines. I've already found a place to stay, I moved quite a bit of my clothes and some of my papers and books today. I'll call you to let you know when I can get the other stuff."

And with that the man stepped around the ottoman, as he did he noticed one of the stacks tip over, he watched as the silk material fell to the floor. He stopped and looked up at his husband.

"You know what Michael, I know I said I didn't want an explanation but hell," Ben laughed. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out what the underwear means, but for the life of me I can't figure out why you would be hiding bed sheets in our closet. Used bed sheets at that, which I know don't belong to us, what the fuck where you doing?"

Michael just stood there looking at him; his lips moved a few times, he tried to explain, but nothing came out except a few stuttered noises

Nodding his head Ben smiled. "Okay, fine. I guess it's just another mystery that will never be solved. Good bye Michael."

******

Ted wondered if they should just turn the damn machine off. They'd found out what they needed to know. They'd gotten their answers.

"Brian?"

"Shut up Ted." Brian voice was monotone, it wasn't filled with it's usually sarcasm.

Ted continued to watch as Michael and his lover cleaned up and mystery man got dressed. Michael never called him by his real name, just 'Brian' so they didn't know who he was. But they knew what he was. They'd watched as Michael counted out the four hundred dollars and hand it over as soon as the guy came through the door.

"Next Wednesday as usual?" Fake Brian asked as he put his coat on. Michael didn't even bother to look up from the bed as he answered the man.

"Sure, if that changes or I need you before then I have your number."

"Okay, see you Wednesday." And the man was gone.

They watched as Michael got up and entered the bathroom, he came out a few minutes later and what he did next surprised the hell out of Ted. As Michael tore open the blue package Ted could finally make out what they were and he watched stupefied as a naked Michael changed the sheets on Brian's bed.

"Fucker was stealing my thousand count sheets, and replacing them with three hundred." Brian snorted. "He didn't know I changed the thread count."

Ted opened his mouth to say something, not sure what but quickly changed his mind. Michael finished with the bed and got up he then grabbed the dirty sheets, rolling them into a ball he quickly shoved them into the bag, dropping it he turned and walked to the closet, Ted couldn't see what he was doing but he returned to the bed and threw himself face down onto the mattress. You could clearly hear him inhaling loudly. He rolled over and Ted noticed he held a dark piece of material over his nose and mouth. His hand caressed his chest moving down over his abdomen and grabbing his cock he started to jerk himself off.

Brian suddenly stood up and the television went to a blue screen. Ted watched silently as he started pacing around the loft. He turned when Brian walked behind him. There was nothing on this earth that could make him open his mouth at this time. He did not have a death wish. 

Brian suddenly stopped and dropping down onto the steps leading into the bedroom he covered his face with his hands. Taking a couple deep breaths he dropped his hands and looked directly at Ted.

Brian laughed, but it wasn't a good laugh. "Is this what I do to my friends, drive them insane, or are they nuts to begin with and I never noticed?"

Ted shook his head. "No Brian, you didn't do this. Hell, since I've become your friend I've become a better person. Look at Justin; you made him the best homosexual he could be. No, this wasn't you. What this is is Michael not being able to handle growing up. Plan and simple, he is too afraid of living life without someone...well you taking care of him."

"But wasn't that my job." Brian stated quietly.

Ted shook his head. "Hell no, being somebody's friend doesn't mean you have to become responsible for their lives, it just means being there when they need you. Like Emmett and I, or Justin and Daphne. Your friendships with Lindsay and Michael have always been one sided. You're there for them but they're rarely there for you, and that's not right. It's time to think of you Brian. They have partners to help them."

Brian smiled. "You sounded just like Justin for a minute there."

Ted smiled, "well like you've always told us, the kid's a fucking genius Brian."

Brian nodded.

"So what do we do now?" Ted asked him.

"I need to talk to Michael."

"Are you sure about that, I mean...well I could talk to him if you'd like." Ted really didn't want to talk to Michael but knowing how much this had to be hurting Brian he thought it might be best if he handled it.

"Thanks Ted, but this is something I should have done a long time ago." 

Ted nodded, "you're right."

They were silent as they rode down in the elevator. As they exited the building and prepared to head for their individual cars Ted took a chance. "Brian if you need to talk or anything later...afterwards, well you have my number okay."

Brian smirked, "thanks Ted, but if I need to talk I have Justin."

Ted watched as Brain walked away, he smiled. "And that's the way it should be."

Ted turned making his way towards his car when he suddenly stopped and turned back, "Hey, you never told me what happened with Lindsay?"

Brian never even turned around. "That's right I didn't."

"Brian?"

"Goodnight Theodore."

Ted watched as the man unlocked his car and slid into the driver's seat. He gave a small chuckle and turned for his vehicle. "Well some thing's never change."

******

"So as my manager/agent what you're saying is that I produce more marketable paintings when I'm here at home then the stuff I create in New York?" Justin smiled into the phone; they'd been on the phone for over an hour now. "Do I understand you correctly?"

Throwing himself backwards onto his and Brian's bed he held his giggles in. "So being in New York is not the end all be all that it's supposed to be, is that what you're trying to tell me Andrea?"

"Well, I'll think about it and get back to you okay. Alright, talk to you later. Bye." Justin hit end and tossed the phone somewhere onto the bed next to him. Giving into his urges he grabbed the duvet and pulled it around him, rolling back and forth on the bed all you could hear were high pitched giggles. He finally stopped and took a few breaths. Thank God Brian hadn't been here to see that display was his last thought before he heard someone's voice calling for Brian. Tossing the duvet back he stood and moved to the door. Pulling it open he came face to face with Lindsay.

Her eyes were filled with bemusement. "Justin."

"Lindsay we thought you were sleeping, do you need something." Justin quietly asked her. He remembered Doctor Russell telling him and Brian not to let her get excited.

"Justin I thought you had left. You really should be gone by now. I thought I explained it to you last night. There's no reason for you to be here anymore."

Justin slowly reached out to take her arm, "Lindsay why don't I just take you back to your room and we'll get you comfortable. Do you want something to...?"

She pulled her arm back. "No, don't touch me. Where's Brian, he'll tell you to leave, he'll take care of it, he always takes care of me." 

Justin watched as she moved backward down the hallway. "Lindsay why don't you come with me, I'll take you back to your room and then I'll get you something to eat or drink, whatever you want."

She was almost to the top of the staircase; she turned around and looked down the stairs. "Is Brian down there?"

Justin shook his head, he didn't want the woman to see Mel, he didn't know how she would deal with seeing her partner here in the house. "No, Brian had to run into town, he had an errand. But he'll be back soon." As he talked he moved to the top of the staircase and maneuvered his body so that he was between the stairs and Lindsay.

Lindsay shook her head, "You can't keep him from me you know that don't you. He loves me, me and Gus, not you. Why won't you understand that?"

"Okay, I believe you. Why don't we..."

Justin never had a chance to finish one minute he was standing there trying to come up with some way to get her back to her room and then the next he felt a solid pressure pushing against his chest. Taking a step back to regain his balance he realized a second too late that there wasn't anything there. He felt his weight pull him backwards down the staircase.

Justin's arms spun as he flayed backwards. He tried to reach out for the banister but he realized he would never make it in time. His last thought was that it was going to hurt like hell when he hit those wooden stairs.

"Justin!" He heard his name called and in the next second he felt an arm come up and wrap around his waist. His body wasn't falling through the air anymore, whoever held him leaned to the right and Justin wrapped his hands around the banister railing curling his legs under him. Closing his eyes he felt his knees hit the wooden steps. He slid along the railing, his kneecaps taking the brunt of the fall. And then his body came to a stop. He looked up into dark brown eyes filled with fear.

"Mel. Thank God." Justin whispered.

"I got you." Mel whispered back in a shaky voice. "Jesus, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just shook up. I think my jeans saved my knees. I didn't expect her to..."

Mel sneered, "Push you down the fucking stairs; if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have fucking believed it either. Where did she go?"

They both looked up the long hallway, "she ran back into her room."

Mel turned around and dropped down onto the steps. "You and Brian were right, she needs help, serious fucking help."

Trying to control the shaking of his body Justin dropped down next to her. "This is why Brian told you not to bring the kids out here. She's unstable Mel. You should have seen her when we found her at the motel. She was laying in her own piss and vomit, drunk out of her mind. It was hard seeing her like that."

"I can't believe this. I mean...Christ I don't know what I mean." Mel sputtered.

"She was really freakin' me out. Kept telling me I have to go away now, and it was in this really weird voice...almost like a little girls voice. It was very strange." Justin explained, he looked down and noticed his hands were shaking. "I've never seen her like that, if Brian hadn't have been there...well she scared me, really scared me."

Mel reached out and enveloped his hands in hers. "I can't believe I didn't notice it. But then again I've been living with my head in the fucking sand for months."

Justin turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

Letting go of his hands she leaned back propping her elbows on the steps behind her. "The moment we got to Canada I starting pushing most of the day to day stuff onto Linz, I spent most of my time researching what I had to do to get my license, what I needed so that I'd be able to practice law up there. It only took me a few days to discover that the information I'd been given wasn't realistic. It wouldn't just be a matter of taking a few courses and setting up an appointment to take the bar. No, it was a lot more. Which meant it would take not weeks, but years, at least two years before I'd even be close to taking the bar again. And I guess I started to panic. How the hell was I going to support a wife and two kids without being able to practice law?"

"I thought Brian was helping?"

"He was, but I didn't know that at first. I just thought Linz was bringing better money home from the gallery than she really was. Linz didn't tell me about Brian giving her money, believe me, she knew that I would flip out if I knew."

"I got a temp job doing research in a law firm but it wasn't even half of what I was bringing home here in the Pitts. And I wasn't doing any real law work. And that was so fucking hard you know. It was driving me crazy to see all these cases that I would love to get my hands on but couldn't. And then there were the kids."

Justin turned and leaned his back against the railing trying to get comfortable. "What about the kids, Gus seemed really happy when you first moved, he was meeting all those new kids at school and he loved his swim classes. And the hockey, God I couldn't believe it when Brian told me Linz was allowing him to take hockey lessons."

Mel turned and smirked at him, "Justin you wouldn't believe how Canadians are about their hockey. They live it, they breath it, it's the end all be all, believe me. You know Linz, the need to fit in over comes all else sometimes, and if letting our kid take hockey lessons made it easier, well lets just say she worried about Gus but her need to fit in was bigger than her worry."

"So what was wrong with the kids?"

"Nothing, they were great. I wasn't worried about the kids, but then again that's what the problem was. I wasn't worrying about my kids and I was spending very little time with them. What I'm about to say is going to sound really terrible, but there really isn't any other way to put it."

Justin raised his eyebrows and looked at her but didn't say anything.

Mel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I realized after we got to Canada and the family wasn't there, when it was just Linz and I...well there was nobody there to impress with my wonderful parenting skills anymore...and I suddenly realized one night as I sat in the office alone eating a bologna sandwich that...well that at that point in time, in that moment I would rather be in that fucking office alone, then home taking care of my own fucking children. There I said it. Christ, I'm a fucking jerk who realized I wasn't cut out to be mommy. I always figured that's what Lindsay was there for. She was the one who enjoyed changing diapers and getting up in the middle of the fucking night to let some parasite suck the life out of her. Alright, I admit it; I'm a lousy fucking mother."

Justin didn't say anything he just sat and looked at her; he didn't feel like there was anything he could say at this time.

Tears welled up in Mel's eyes. "I basically spent almost all my time up until the last month at the office, and for most of that time I wasn't even being fucking paid, can you believe it? But it's the only time I felt like I could breath."

"And Linz was left at home to take care of both kids and work a nine to five job. About three months ago she started up the shit about returning home, but I just ignored it, told her I didn't want to talk about it. Hell I couldn't talk about it, what was I going to say, 'I know I fucked up Linz, I know dragging us and the kids to another country wasn't the right decision', hell no, there was no way I was going to admit that. And then soon after that she started bringing up the kids, how they missed me, how she couldn't handle everything on her own. And if I couldn't admit to making a mistake about Toronto there was no fucking way I was going to admit that I...that the only reason I..."

"That the only reason you had Jenny Rebecca was to show the world that you could do it, that you could have a baby and a job and do it better than Lindsay had done it?" Justin said quietly.

Mel closed her eyes and nodded her head. "I ran away long before I threw Linz out. And then I found out about Brian sending money and...well I panicked. I told Lindsay that Brian couldn't come to visit anymore. And then I heard her talking to Gus about coming here and living with Brian and once again I panicked and I tossed her out. And for the first time I was the one left to take care of the kids and the job, and the bills, and breakfast, supper, bath time... and fucking hockey lessons. I couldn't do it, the last few months have been so fucking hard, but it was nothing compared to what happened after I threw her out. I actually hocked my grandmother's locket so that I could have money to pay the brat next door to watch my kids so that I could..." Mel dropped her head back on the steps, "so that I could get the hell away from them."

"So what are you going to do with the kids if Lindsay goes to Hillside?" Justin questioned.

Mel sat back up, sighing she stood and started moving down the steps. "I have no fucking clue."

Wondering into the kitchen she dropped down at the table and wrapped her arms around her head. She didn't even realize Justin had followed her until he spoke.

"Well you better get a clue because Gus and JR need stability in their lives right now. If Linz does go to Hillside and you just admitted that you can't take care of them on a full time basis what the hell are you going to do? I'm not trying to be cruel or heartless here Mel, but they have to come first."

Raising her head she glared at him, "I know that Justin, even though I wasn't home I knew that Lindsay was there to keep them safe..."

Justin interrupted her before she could finish, moving quickly to the table the words rushing out of his mouth. "You just admitted that Lindsay isn't stable and this just didn't happen overnight, it's been going on for awhile. You were so busy feeling sorry for yourself that you never noticed you were leaving a five year old and a one year old with a mentally unbalanced person, Brian isn't going to forget that, neither will Debbie when she finds out. Not to mention what Michael would do with that kind of information."

"And you're going to tell them?" Mel quietly asked.

Justin nodded, "The kids come first Mel, and they will always come first."

******

Brian didn't bother to knock as he entered the house; he hadn't bothered knocking since he's been a teenager.

Debbie looked up from her position on the floor next to JR; Gus was a few feet away playing with some type of action figure.

"Dad!" Gus screamed as he jumped up and ran around the sofa. "I knew you would come, Mema said you wouldn't but I knew it."

"My God Sonny Boy you must have grown a foot since the last time I saw you." Brian barely caught the boy in time as he threw himself against him.

"Grandma Debbie said the same thing." Gus threw his arms around Brian's neck and squeezed as tight as he could.

"I just wanted to come over and give you a big hug okay. I can't stay that long but I just wanted to spend some time with you Sonny Boy." Brian whispered into his son's ear.

"Dad." JR screamed from her seat next to Deb, like her father she couldn't stand to be left out of all the attention.

Debbie watched as father and son reunited, "How's it going in West Virginia?"

Brian grimaced, "It's going, that's about all I can say at this point." 

"Well you know my number if you need anything just give me a holler, that's what family is there for."

"Speaking of family is Michael here?" Brian pressed his lips against Gus's head and gently squeezed the small body again.

"Nope, haven't seen him. Got a suspicious phone call from Hunter who said he got a strange telephone call from Ben and he needed to talk to Michael right away, said he wasn't answering his cell." Debbie said as she grabbed a hold of JR as the toddler started around the couch. "Wouldn't tell me what was wrong with Ben, told me he needed to talk to Michael first."

"Am I going to live with you now Dad?" Gus said as he pulled his arms from around Brian's neck, he started playing with the collar of Brian's leather jacket.

"We'll see Gus, we'll see." Brian told him with a smile.

Gus slumped against Brian, "That means no, it always means no when Mema says it."

"Gus look at me. We will be talking about you coming and staying with me for awhile, do you understand? It's not a yes or a no, but if Mema says okay, you can come and stay with Justin and I while you're here"

"See Gus, I told you your dad would save the day." Brian looked up and noticed Emmett coming down the stairs; he held a plastic cosmetic bag of small brightly colored bottles in his hand. "Brian this boy of yours has been driving us crazy. I thought we might have to tie him down pretty soon. He's talked about nothing but his dad since he's gotten here."

Brian looked down at the small boy and smiled. "I'll make a deal with you, you stay here at Grandma Deb's for one more day and then maybe just maybe you and your sister will be coming to stay at our new house, how does that sound?"

"Mommy said you bought us a house" Gus's eyes were practically popping out of his head. "And Justin will live there too? Mommy kept saying Justin couldn't live there with us, but I want him to okay dad."

"Of course Justin will be living there with us. And I promise we'll talk about everything soon." Brian said as he pulled Gus against him again. He caught Debbie's eye for a moment and she smiled at him. Walking towards the sofa he stepped around it and took a seat. Turning Gus around to sit on his lap he wrapped his arms around him again. Smiling he looked down as JR waddled over to stand next to him. 

"Dad" The little girl yelled again.

Gus reached down to push her away, "he's my dad, not yours."

"Hey, Gus, don't do that, don't ever push your sister. You're the big brother, you have to protect her." Brian firmly told him.

"She's got her own dad. Mema says her dad is better than mine, that's not true is it dad?" Gus said tears had started to well up in his eyes.

"Gus sweetie, you have different dad's, that doesn't mean one is better than the other, just different." Debbie told him with a smile.

Gus turned around and threw his arms around Brian's waist, "My daddy loves me, my mommy said so. I don't care what mean old Mema says."

Brian looked at Debbie and the woman smiled at him. "Mommies always tell the truth Gussie."

"I was talking to Mel earlier Brian, let me talk to her again, see if she'll let Gus stay with you."

The man nodded, "Not for another day or two yet Deb, we have the other problem to take care of first okay?"

Gus pushed the adult's conversation out of his head, he was so happy that his daddy was there and he had his arms wrapped safely around him. It didn't matter what Mema said, his daddy loved him, and he knew it. Gus pushed his hands into his dad's pockets, feeling something in the one pocket he pulled it out and looked at the bright shiny disc. It looked just like his Nemo movie disc he had at home. See this proved his daddy loved him; he'd brought him his favorite movie. Just as he turned to thank his daddy JR tried to crawl up onto daddy's lap and Gus didn't like that one bit. Forgetting all about the movie he turned to push her down again, forgetting what his father had just got done telling him.

"No JR, you can't sit with daddy."

The little girl went down on her diaper covered bottom and she just stared at her brother. Suddenly her lip started to quiver and he knew she was going to start to scream. 

"Gus I'm not going to tell you again, you do not push your sister, she's too little for you to be pushing her around. Do you understand me?"

Gus turned and burrowed back into his father's arms; he listened as his father spoke, Brian kept up a steady stream of why he should be nicer to his sister as Debbie quieted her granddaughter down. In moments both children were asleep.

Debbie got her granddaughter settled down in the crib upstairs while Brian and Emmett quietly spoke in the living room. Debbie came back downstairs and helped Brian move a sleeping Gus onto the sofa and they both covered him up.

"I've got to go, but I just needed to stop and see him." Brian said never taking his eyes off his son's sleeping face.

"I know. You go take care of whatever it is you have to take care of. The kids are in good hands, don't you worry." Debbie told him as she gently slapped his cheek.

Brian smiled and turned towards the door. "Emmett the next time I see my son I do not want to see any painted fingernails, understand?

"Brian I would never..." Emmett exclaimed.

Brian turned back around, "or toe nails."

And with the last word he walked out the door.

"Boy does he have your number." Debbie laughed.

"Oh come on, it's not gonna hurt the boy to have a little color in his life." Emmett said, "I was going to use a pearl or satin, something delicate."

Debbie picked up a stuffed animal from the floor and set it on the end of the sofa, turning she looked down into Gus's sleeping face.

"Such an angel." Debbie whispered. She turned to head into the kitchen when a refection caught her eye. There tucked into the space between the cushion and the arm of the sofa was a silver dvd disc.

"What's this?" Debbie said out loud.

Emmett glanced up from his magazine and spied the disc in her hand. "Oooh, a movie, which one is it, maybe we can make popcorn and watch it?"

"I don't know Carl must have been watching it and forgot to put it back in its case. How the fuck am I going to know which case it goes in?" She turned and eyed the cabinet that Carl had brought with him when he had moved in; there must be at least a hundred videos and disc on it.

"Put it in and see what it says sweety." Emmett told her.

Debbie moved to the TV and slide the disc into the player, switching the TV on she stood back and Emmett moved next to her.

"Who's that?" Emmett questioned.

"I don't know...wait it's Michael. Isn't that the loft?" 

Emmett nodded, "yeah, what's he doing?"

"I don't know what the fuck he's...you don't think he and Ben borrowed the loft to make dirty movies in do you?" Debbie whispered.

Emmett shook his head, "No, I don't think so, at breakfast one morning we were discussing it, you know right after that blonde bimbo Paris Hilton lost her sex tape. Ben was pretty vocal about not recording anything you don't want your friends and family or your co-workers to see on the internet. He wouldn't do that...wait who's that...is that Brian?"

"Well it's his loft, why wouldn't it be Brian?" Debbie stated, glancing back to make sure they weren't disturbing Gus.

"Oh, no, that's not Brian, look at that man's hips, too wide, and his stomach is a bit paunchy, Brian would never let himself go like that, plus he'd never be caught in those clothes, so cheap and not a label anywhere. No, that looks like Brian, but it's not him. Plus his hair is shorter than Brian's. And there's no swagger, that's not Brian's 'fuck me' walk."

Deb turned and looked at Emmett, "how much fucking time do you spend watching Brian Kinney?"

Emmett smiled. "It's kinda hard not to watch Brian Kinney." He'd barely gotten the words out before Deb's screech filled the room.

"What the fuck, why is he taking his clothes off...

*****

Michael walked up the steps and after unlocking the front door he entered the dark house. He'd been all over town trying to find Ben. None of Ben's friends from work had seen or heard from him. He couldn't go to any of the family; they'd all have questions, questions that Michael didn't have any answers for. Michael didn't know what to do. He pushed the door closed behind him, never noticing it when it didn't close the entire way.

Moving into the living room he flopped into the chair that Ben had been waiting in, he wondered how long Ben had sat there, what had gone through his mind waiting for his husband to return home. Did he worry like Michael was doing now, or was he angry? Michael had wanted to be angry, he had tried to be angry but he couldn't. He just felt sad, and alone.

He looked up as a sound came from the doorway. He could make out somebody standing there in the shadows but couldn't see their face. Hope flared up in him for a moment.

"Ben?"

"No, it's not Ben," Came the answer out of the darkness. 

"What do you want?" Michael demanded. The anger Michael had searched for earlier was suddenly found. What the fuck was he doing here now, what the hell did he want?

"I thought it was time we talked Michael." Brian said as he moved into the room.

"Well maybe I don't want to talk to you." Michael yelled. "Maybe I just want to be left the fuck alone."

"Well sometimes we don't get what we want do we Michael?" Brian said as he crossed the room and stood in-front of Michael. Reaching down he pulled up one of the dark maroon sheets stacked on the ottoman in-front of Michael's chair, rubbing the thousand count threaded material in his hands he sighed. Dropping it he turned and took a seat on the sofa, crossing his legs he watched the man he'd called best friend glare at him.

"Just go home Brian. I don't know what you want and frankly I'm not up to arguing with you." Michael slumped in the chair; the anger that had suddenly hit him was waning rapidly. Brian couldn't know those were his sheets, he couldn't. Moving his foot he pushed the blue silk boxers under the ottoman.

"I'm not here to argue with you Michael. I'm here to tell you some simple truths."

"Truths, yeah right, you wouldn't know the truth if it slapped you in the face." Michael said. "I don't need you or anyone else to tell me the truth Brian. I know the truth, you're the one who won't...or can't be honest with yourself."

"You? You know the truth, well then why don't you just tell me your truths." Brian smirked and pretended to get comfortable. "Come on, give me your truths."

Michael shook his head, he suddenly felt so damn tired. "We've been hiding from the truth for years, suddenly now tonight you expect me to believe that you actually want me to say it, get real Brian, you don't want to hear it, and you never have."

"I'm here, you're here. Just us, no one else, give me your truths Michael." Brian uncrossed his legs and stared at his long time friend. He was a bit surprised; he'd expected whining, and pouting, or manipulations and denials. Not this in your face attitude that Michael was exhibiting. He started to wonder if he knew this man at all anymore.

"The truth. Fine, you want the truth. The truth is you've been in love with me since we were fourteen years old but you're just too damn afraid to admit it. You've hid from it, hell you've ran from it for years. You used your walls and your bullshit rules to keep me from finding out. And now you're using Justin to hide behind. You're using your guilt and blame from the bashing just so you don't have to face the fact that it's me you love, not Justin. You're just too damn afraid of loosing me to actually do something about it. I know that Brian, but it's time you face the truth, it's time we both face it."

Brian just sat and stared at the man in front of him. He wondered for just a moment if there was an empty room next to the one they were getting for Lindsay at Hillside. Sitting and looking at this man he realized that Justin's words were true, none of his so called best friends even knew him. He'd known that Michael had had feelings for him, hell, he'd known it for years, so did their fucked up family, but he hadn't realized that Michael had actually thought that Brian was in love with him. He wondered if disillusionment was contagious. How in the fuck had he missed all this? Maybe he was delusional too. How many times had Justin informed him 'Brian your best friends are in love with you' and Brian had just laughed it off. He realized Michael was still talking.

"Ben understood, that's why he left me, he knew that we're meant to be together and if you would just let go of all your fears it would happen."

"Wait, Ben left you?" Brian questioned.

"I told you, he knew, he understands."

"And the fact that you've been cheating on him with a fucking cheap clone of me and using my loft to fuck him in has nothing to do with Ben leaving you?" Brian said without thinking. Reaching into his pocket he discovered the CD was gone, shit, he'd have to worry about that later, he had to get through this first.

Brian had always wondered what the expression 'turned to stone' actually looked like, all he had to do was look at Michael and he knew. 

"Ah, didn't realize I knew about that did you?"

Michael shrugged his shoulders, "what's the difference, I pay someone to pretend to be you, and you fuck Justin pretending you don't love me."

"You want to know what the difference is." Brian said quietly, "What I have with Justin is real love, plain and simple. I love Justin, I am in love with him Michael. He truly knows me, not the Brian Fucking Kinney that you and Linz use to hide behind."

"You don't love him. He doesn't know you; he can't know you, not like I know you." Michael snapped back with a sneer. "I've known you longer than he's practically been alive. I was there Brian, I was there for all of it, I saw the way your family treated you, the pain you went through. I know you. And you know it; I've always been the one you run too. The one you need when it all gets to be too much." 

Brian laughed, "No, apparently you don't know me. I do love you Michael. But I'm not now, nor have I ever been IN love with you."

"And as for you being the one I run too, hell Michael I haven't come to you in years. Not since about a year after I met Justin. Granted, the last time I needed you was BECAUSE of Justin. I called you THAT night. You saw what I was going through; you knew how bad I was hurting."

"It was guilt Brian, that's all. You felt guilty..." 

"Bullshit"

"No, you regretted going..." Michael began.

"Yes, I did feel guilty for a long time about the prom, I did, I sit here and I freely admit it. But that's not what hurts me the most about that night. Do you want to know what I regret the most about that night Michael, do you?"

Michael shook his head no but Brian kept right on going.

"I regret the fact that Justin will never remember that I showed him how much I loved him that night. And he knew it, he knew it and he accepted it. And then that son-of-a-bitch took that moment from us. That's what I regret about the prom."

"But you called me." Michael whimpered.

"Only because I felt like I was loosing the one person who completely understood me, the only one who really got me." Brian sat forward and drove his point home. "And if it wouldn't be for Justin I'd be dead right now."

"No, it was me; I pulled you down that night." Michael cried.

"And you think that made a difference, you think bringing up that fucking obsession of yours about me being young and beautiful forever was what stopped me from killing myself. No, it wasn't that. It was Justin."

"No...no, you're alive because I saved you, you...you owe me." Michael stammered.

"Is that what your love is all about Mikey, me owing you?" Brian yelled. "I thought we were friends...

"Best friends!" Michael screamed out. "We're best friends!"

"As long as I play by your and Lindsay's rules right, as long as I'm there for just the two of you, but let me try to find happiness with Justin and you two turn into a bunch of jealous fools." Brian snapped. "My happiness is only allowed if it's on your terms, isn't that what you mean. As long as I'm Brian Fucking Kinney."

"That's who you are; Lindsay and I understand that about you, we're the only ones. You need to fuck who you want, when you want, no regrets, and no fucking apologies." Spittle sprayed from Michael's lips with each word. "Justin wants monogamy and promises. We don't need that, we know the real you."

"Bullshit. See that's the thing, the rules, the walls, it was all made to keep you out, and you stayed out, but that kid, that one fucking blond kid patiently broke down my walls and my rules. Something you nor Lindsay could do in almost twenty years. Think about that Michael. Why would that kid be able to do what my supposedly best friends couldn't? And he did it in days, a few short days. And it wasn't fucking easy, Oh no, I wasn't easy on him. It was hard, fucking hard but he kept at it and over the years he broke them all down. I had nothing to hide behind anymore. He did it and you didn't. Or maybe it was that you just didn't want too. Neither one of you wanted to know the real Brian Kinney, you never even tried."

"I told you I know the real Brian Kinney, I'm the only one." Michael's voiced started taking on that whining note that Brian had come to hate so much.

"Bullshit again, you believed the fake mask that I put on, and then you turned around and tried to suck as much pity from our family and friends as you could. 'Look at me, I'm poor widdle Mikey, I'm the one who is hurt by Brian Fucking Kinney every time, but I stick it out 'cause I'm his best friend.' You wore it like a proud badge of honor; you didn't think I knew that did you?"

"But..." Michael started.

"But nothing. It's over Michael, we're not fourteen anymore. You don't get to pout or whine or manipulate me anymore. I'm all grown up now, and if you're not, well that's not my problem anymore. I thought we had a true friendship Michael, I thought that we were friends for life, but you've proved to me over the last few months that I can't trust you. You've been dishonest with me, you've come into my home and you destroyed something that meant a lot to me. And you took any trust I had in you and you destroyed it. You crossed the line. A line I'm not willing to forgive you for."

Standing Brian moved around the sofa and headed towards the door.

"Don't you walk away Brian, I told you, I know you, I know you love me, and you'll always love me. You always come back. I'm your best friend, always have been, always will be. Always, that's what you've said...always. You'll be back, and you'll apologize. Just like you always have. You need me."

Brian stopped and turned and looked at his former friend. "Don't bother trying to get back into the loft. The locks were changed this afternoon, so was the security code. And you can throw away my sheets and underwear, I don't want them back. And if you feel the need to get fucked by your Brian Kinney 2.0 clone you'll have to find some other place. Think about getting yourself some help, I hear Hillside Treatment Center has some good therapist, you need it. Good bye Michael."

Brian turned and walked out the door, he didn't even bother to close it.

Michael stood up but stayed where he was. "You'll be back, you always come back. You'll realize Justin isn't the one for you and you'll come back. Always have, always will."

*****

Brian stepped down off the porch and almost knocked Debbie Novotney down as she was stepping up.

"Whoa, Deb are you okay?" Brian reached out and grabbed her by the arms and held her steady. He looked into her face and didn't like what he saw there. He could tell she'd been crying.

"You forgot this." Debbie held out the silver disc.

"Shit" Brian swore under his breath. He knew with out asking that she'd watched it. He didn't know what to say. "Keep it, I don't want it."

"Is he alive?" Debbie's voice shook as she spoke.

Brian nodded.

"Good because I'm going to kill the little shit." And with that she turned and walked into the house.

"Glad I'm not in his shoes." Brian said as he turned for his car. It was time to go home. Home to Justin.

*****

Debbie entered the dark house. She wondered what condition she would find her son in. Gently closing the door she turned and let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Glancing around the dinning room to her left she found nothing so she turned to the living room. Moving into that room she finally spied her son sitting in the corner.

Softly she called to him. "Michael?"

"Christ." She could just make out Michael's grimace as he whispered the word. "Ma I don't need this shit right now."

"Well we don't always get what we want in life now do we." Debbie snapped; part of her wanted to go to her son and wrap him in her arms, protect him from whatever demons he was fighting at this moment. But then she remember what she had seen on that movie and that part of her knew that coddling Michael at this point would do no good, he needed some good sense knocked into him and maybe she'd been coddling him too much his entire life. "What the fuck were you thinking Michael?"

Moving around the sofa she tossed the disc down unto the coffee table. "I brought you this, thought you might want to see it."

Michael's sigh filled the quiet of the dim room. "Mom I'm really not up for watching any movies tonight."

"Oh no, this one you'll want to see. It's one of your favorites." Deb said as she moved and took a seat. "Plus it's the series finale too."

"Mom, please..." A quiet sob spilt into the shadows of the dark room. "...please, I don't want to watch some stupid ass TV show."

"Well its stupid ass alright but I didn't say it was a TV show. It's the last episode of the 'Brian and Mikey Show'; I know you'll want to see this, but then again you just lived it didn't you?

"I have no fucking clue what you're talking about. And Brian might be upset right now, but he'll come back, he always comes back." Michael told her.

"But you've never gone this far before, you've never betrayed his trust..."

"I didn't fucking betray him, he's the one who betrayed me..." Michael said hotly.

Deb snorted, "How the fuck did he betray you?" 

"If Justin would have just stayed in New York then none of this..." Michael began but he didn't have a chance to finish his statement.

"Don't you even think about blaming your fuck up on Justin? You did this, not Justin." Debbie snapped at him, her finger flying through the air. "There is no fucking way Justin made you hire a two bit whore and take him to Brian's loft so you could live out your life long fucking fantasies."

Michael was up and out of the chair in a split second, "He told you, he fucking told you about that? I can't fucking believe that he..."

"Brian didn't tell me anything. He dropped that disc in the house when he stopped by to visit his son." Debbie pointed at the disc as she explained. "I thought it was one of Carl's movies, so Emmett said to put it..."

"Fucking Emmett knows too?" Michael's voice showed his disbelief. "This is none of your fucking business, or Emmett's either, so you both can just mind your own fucking business."

"What about Ben? Is this none of his fucking business too?"

Michael's legs gave out and he flopped back into the chair again. "It doesn't matter about Ben."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, of course it matters, he has a right to know what the fuck his husband is up too?" Debbie couldn't believe what she was hearing from her own son.

"No it doesn't because he fucking left me this morning. He moved out, he lied to me. He told me he understood about Brian and me, but it was all a lie. All these years and..."

"How the hell can you expect the man to accept you fucking some Brian Kinney look-a-like...?" Debbie's voice rose with each word.

"He didn't know about that." Michael simply said. He looked away from his mother.

For a moment Debbie didn't know what to say, sitting up straighter she thought about it for a moment.

"If he didn't know why the fuck did he leave you?" Debbie questioned.

"Because I'm an idiot. Happy now, I admit it. I'm a fucking idiot." Michael whined. "I thought that after all these years, after everything I'd done for Brian that maybe just maybe..."

"That he wouldn't mind you fucking some whore in his bed?" Debbie calmly said. "Wouldn't mind you rooting through his things, you got up off that fucking bed and wondered around your best friends home and went through his drawers. I saw you pick up that box out of the dresser. Emmett knew what that jewelry box was right away; you laughed at their wedding rings and just threw it back into the drawer. Then you headed for his office area and went through his personal files. How the fuck would you feel if someone had done that to you?"

"I wasn't rooting. I was trying to find out what was going on in my best friends life. He doesn't talk to me anymore he never spends any time with me he's always with fucking Justin." Michael whined.

Debbie stood and moved around the coffee table. "Because he's his fucking lover, his partner, the man he fucking loves. When are you going to get that through your fucking head Michael?"

"He doesn't love him, he doesn't do love, only me, I'm the only..." Michael stood and got into his mothers face, something he maybe should have thought about before actually doing it.

CRACK!!

"He is not in love with you, but that kid, that beautiful brilliant fucking kid he loves."

Michael stood and with his hand pressed against his cheek, "Ma, I'm not a kid anymore, you can't hit me..."

"Not until you fucking act like an adult will I treat you like one." Debbie snapped. "Maybe that's half your fucking problem, I've always made sure Brian was there to fix everything in your fucking life. I never made you face your own mistakes."

Silence filled the room, Michael glaring at Deb, Deb glaring back.

"Where the fuck did you get the money to pay for a Goddamn hustler?" Deb demanded. "You've got one kid trying to pay for college and another one living in a another country with a woman who's wondering where the money is going to come from to feed her and you're spending your fucking money on fucks. Where did the money come from Michael?"

Michael turned away, "I sold a few of my comics and the Mighty Mouse wind-up toy."

"How much?" Debbie demanded again. "How much fucking money did you throw away?"

"Five thousand." Michael quietly said. "Between the...that guy and hotel rooms and...other stuff it was five thousand."

Debbie lost all strength in her legs, she found herself sitting on the coffee table, she sobbed out-loud, "the girls have been driving themselves crazy trying to take care of your daughter...Jesus...and Hunter, Christ that boy has been working two jobs to pay for school and you've been throwing five thousand fucking dollars away on..." 

Debbie just sat as the tears ran down her face. "What the fuck is the matter with you Michael...who the fuck are you?"

*****

Justin was starting to get worried. Brian had called him three hours ago and told him what they'd found on the tapes at the loft. He'd sounded okay on the phone, tired but hell neither of them had had much sleep in the past few days.

He'd just said finished saying good bye to Mel. Dr. Walker and two attendants had left to take Lindsay to Hillside over an hour ago. It had shocked Mel and Justin to find out that pushing Justin down the steps had caused Lindsay to snap out of her delusion long enough to sit and talk with the doctor and she had signed herself into Hillside on her own. Now he was just waiting for Brian to come home.

Moving into the living room he threw himself down unto the sofa and dialed Brian's cell phone again. The last two times he'd gotten the voice mail, hopefully this time Brian would pick up. Just as the voice mail clicked on he heard a car door outside. Dropping his phone he jumped off the sofa and ran to the door, throwing it open he watched as Brian staggered towards the door.

"Sunshine, I knew you'd be here. You're the only one I have now, the only one I can trust." Brian's words were all slurred together.

"Shit. Brian." Justin had known this was a possibility but he was hoping he'd been wrong.

"My Sunshine." Brian tripped up the slight step and slammed into Justin hard, the smell of booze hit him before Brian did.

"Shit, I'm sorry Sonny Boy...gotta watch that first step, it's a dooze...a doozie." Brian slurred as they both came to rest against the door.

Wrapping his arm around Brian's waist Justin tugged him into the hallway. "Come on Brian, let's get you to bed."

Justin turned and locked the door as quickly as possible, turning back he started to lead Brian down the hall towards the stairs.

"Wanna fuck Sunshine?" Brian grinned. "Yeah, let's fuck, that's all I'm good for anyway."

"Let's just get you to the bed, and then we'll talk about fucking." Justin told him as they moved up the stairs.

"Shhhhh...Gotta be quiet, got the crazy lady in here somewhere, don't want her to wake up, she scares me, betcha didn't know that did cha? She really scares me Justin." Brian's whisper was more of a shout, but in his state he didn't know that.

"She scared me too Brian, but we don't have to worry, Lindsay went to Hillside earlier tonight. It's just you and me here Brian." Justin told him as he led him towards the door of their bedroom. As soon as they cleared the doorway he pulled Brian's leather jacket off of him and threw it onto the floor. He turned and maneuvered Brian towards the bed.

"Just you and me...I like that Sunshine, I like it when it's just us two." Brian whispered/shouted into Justin's ear. "Why can't they leave us alone huh, why not Justin?"

Justin lowered Brian to the mattress, reaching down he removed his shoes, lowering his zipper he pulled him back up long enough to slide his pants off of him. Gently pushing him back down he pulled his t-shirt off over his head.

Throwing his own clothes off as quickly as possible he stood Brian back up and pulled the covers down, he guided Brian down to the mattress and crawled in over him. Reaching up he turned the light off. Laying back down he pulled Brian into his arms.

"Just us, why can't it be just us." Brian whispered again as he snuggled into the crook of Justin's neck. Justin pulled him close as the first sob broke from the older man.

"Shhhh Brian, it's going to be alright." Justin wrapped his arms tighter around his lover. "It's just us and it's going to be alright."

"They don't see me Jus...they just can't see me."

"I see you Brian, and Gus sees you. That's all that matters, me and Gus." Justin felt the tears run down his face but didn't remove his arms from Brian to brush them away. "They don't matter Brian, just me and Gus, that's all that matters."

Brian sniffed and nodded. "Just my boys...just my Sonny boys."

Justin held him, hopefully he'd fall asleep soon and then Justin would have to deal with the morning, not something he was looking forward too at the moment.

Justin felt more than heard Brian mumble something into his neck. Pulling back a bit he quietly asked him, "what?"

"And Ted, Teddy's a good friend Justin." 

Justin smiled, "yeah Brian Ted's a really good friend."

*****

"Well I'm glad that Linz is getting the help she needs." Emmett told his breakfast companion. "As my grannie used to say, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. Lindsay will come home healthy and strong and you two will work everything out."

Mel smiled, she wished she had some of Emmett's confidence. Maybe in a few weeks, but even after four days in Hillside Lindsay still didn't want to see her, or the kids. Dr. Walker said it had to do more with embarrassment than anger at this point. That while Lindsay did indeed fall under a slight delusion disorder prognosis most of the past few day's incidents were due more to alcohol than her illness. Dr. Walker had told Melanie that Lindsay didn't turn to Brian because she wanted to marry him; she was just scared and turned to him more for safety and support than for love.

"Thank you Emmett. At least we're home; if I had to deal with everything that's happened while we still were in Toronto I wouldn't have known what to do."

"Well keep reminding yourself that home is where you belong." Emmett looked up with a smile as he noticed Ted and Blake walk in the door. "Teddy, Blake, over here, come sit with us."

Ted moved towards his friends. Letting Blake slide in next to Emmett he took a seat next to Melanie. Giving her shoulder a squeeze he smiled at her, "How are you doing?"

Mel nodded, "like I was just telling Emmett, Linz is getting better every day, and Debbie is really helping with the kids. Michael's been spending a lot of time with JR so she's a happy little girl." 

"How is Michael doing?" Ted quietly asked as he opened a menu. He hadn't seen Michael since watching the tape and frankly he wasn't sure he wanted to. After hearing from Emmett about Debbie finding the disc he didn't pity his friend one bit. Maybe this is how it was meant to be.

"Well Debbie's still not talking to him, and Ben won't accept his calls but like Mel said he's spending most of his time with JR. Hiding I suspect but maybe that's a good thing at the moment." Emmett told them.

"I can't believe Debbie told Ben about the disc..." Mel started to say.

"Why not," Blake questioned, "he had a right to know what his husband was up to."

"And like Carl told him, he could have been charged with trespassing and destruction of property, he is very lucky if you ask me." Emmett said his hand waving in the air, everyone's eye stayed on the crisp piece of bacon he held.

"But he and Ben would have had a much better chance of at least talking if Debbie wouldn't have mentioned that fucking disc." Mel snapped. "I mean yes Michael was wrong for doing what he did, but maybe he and Ben might have had a chance of getting back together again if that damn disc didn't exist."

"So what, Brian should have just destroyed it, covered it all up. What would that have taught Michael that you can use your friends, betray their trust but don't worry, we'll just forget all about it. No, I think that's what got him into this trouble to begin with."

"Emmett Michael wouldn't have betrayed one of us..." Mel started to argue.

"But it was okay for him to do it to Brian?" Ted questioned. "Is that what you're saying?"

The waitress chose that moment to stop at their table; she poured coffee for Ted and Blake and topped off Emmett and Mel's cups. Mel waited till she walked away to answer.

"No, that's not what I'm saying. But it's Michael." Mel shook her head. "Michael wouldn't really hurt..."

"And like Teddy said that's the kind of thinking that has gotten Michael into this mess in the first place. It's just little old Michael, he can do no wrong. He's the saint, the good guy. Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Because he's not," Blake explained. "He's not always the good guy. He can be mean and vindictive and totally immature. I've seen it happen over and over again with this family. Michael is always forgiven and Brian isn't. And that's not fair. And it's not right."

"I really don't think you get to criticize Michael, you barely know him," Mel snarled.

"And maybe that's why I see him for what he really is." Blake told her with a smile. "I'm not one of the original family, I see him with an outsiders eyes. He's a spoiled brat who's had everyone in this family protecting him for along time."

"Well look who he's had to put up with for half his life." Mel snapped.

"Bigger balls Mel, bigger balls," Emmett quietly said.

Mel closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm doing it again."

"Its okay sweetie, you've been doing it for a long time. And it will take time to snap the fuck out of it, but don't worry Debbie and I will be here to remind you." Emmett smiled at her.

"Do we even want to know?" Blake looked at Ted.

Ted shook his head, "no we don't."

Blake smiled, got up and kissed his partner good bye, "I'll see you tonight, and have a good day. Talk to you all later."

Ted turned back to the table, "Emmett don't you have that fundraiser you have to get started on?"

"Fundraiser, no, that's not till next..." Emmett saw the look in Ted's eyes and suddenly dropped his fork and nodded. "Oh yes, the fundraiser, I totally forgot all about it. Would you look at the time? You all have a wonderful day and I'll talk to you later."

Standing he collected his belongings and turned to the door, bending his knees he whispered as he walked by Ted, "you owe me, and I will TALK to YOU later."

"Smooth Ted, really smooth. You couldn't just ask me what ever it is you want to ask in front of Emmett." Mel smiled at her friend.

"No, I couldn't. We need to do this alone."

Mel straightened and sighed, "Which means I'm not going to like it am I?"

"Depends." Ted smiled. "I heard you're starting your old job back?"

Mel nodded, "Mr. Morgenstern promised me I could start in two weeks, I don't have a partnership anymore and I'm won't be coming back at my full salary but it will be enough to take care of the kids and I...and Linz if she comes back to me."

"And the kids, you said the last time we talked that taking care of the kids was one of the problems you had in Toronto, how are you going to be with having them full time by yourself?" Ted asks her gently.

"Debbie and Michael will be helping."

Ted nodded, "So Michael gets to spend time with his daughter but Gus isn't allowed to spend time with Brian?"

"Michael didn't sign his rights away." Mel snapped and then closed her eyes. "Jesus Christ."

"Do you think that's fair considering that Brian sacrificed his rights while Michael took you to court to get his? Plus I heard Brian sent you two thousand dollars to help all of you out until you get your self straightened out."

"Look I admit that the asshole loves his son, there I said it are you happy now. Brian Fucking Kinney loves his son. But right now I think it's more important for Gus to stay with me so that he understands he can't always expect his father to be there when he needs him. And Michael doesn't have the money right now."

"And when has Brian never been there for his son? And Michael doesn't have the money because he spent it on hustlers and hotel rooms."

"I'm not going to discuss Michael's problems behind his back..."

"But you're going to punish Brian and Gus. What did Brian do that he needs to be punished for, and I repeat when has Brian never been there for his son?"

Mel's eyes blazed with anger, "When the son-of-a-bitch left him alone so that he could get his dick sucked when Linz went to that conference."

"That's bullshit and you know it. Brian's father had just died Mel, and he left him with Justin, the one person that Brian Kinney trusts in this entire world. He made sure that Gus was safe."

"No, you weren't there that night, when I walked in that night Justin was about to give him a..."

"A bottle that you didn't even know if he had tested it or not. Justin had babysat for his sister before, he knew about testing that bottle but you never checked you just started going off on him."

"How do you even know about that?" Mel snapped.

"Emmett, Justin told Em all about it years ago." Ted continued, "And Brian never paid some stranger to watch his kid so that he could get away from them, so that he could breath. Isn't that what you told me yourself?"

"And I wished I would have kept my fucking mouth shut, I never thought you would throw it in my face." Mel's anger clearly showed in her eyes.

"I'm not throwing it in your face, I'm reminding you." Ted told her. "I'm reminding you because there's something I think you need to do. Not for you or for Brian."

Ted smiled gently at her, "You need to do it for your son. For Gus."

*****

Justin watched as Brian sat on the patio. The last few days had been hard. First the denial, there wasn't anything Brian wanted or needed to talk about. Then the anger. Brian would leave and not come back for hours, and then he'd usually be drunk.

When they'd woke up two mornings ago Brian had been quiet but they'd talked and then made love and Justin had really thought that they'd weathered the storm. Brian and he had stayed at the house and every time Justin had turned around Brian had been there, it was almost as if Brian thought he was going to disappear, there had been constant touching, gentle love making and quiet conversations. Justin told Brian about the conversations with his agent/manager, how she thought he was more 'profitable' if he was painting at home. Justin didn't like having his art talked about in profits but if it got him back to Pittsburgh he was all for it. They had celebrated with more love making. And then they had talked about Michael. About the hurt and pain Brian was feeling due to the fact that his supposedly best friend had abused his trust, and that betrayal had left Brian feeling lost and alone. Until he had realized that he still had the most important things in his life, his partner and his son.

But then after they crawled out of bed that afternoon two days ago Brian had called Mel and she had told him flat out that Gus was not coming to the house, nor did she want Brian coming to Debbie's to see him. She said with Lindsay in Hillside Brian had to realize that Mel called the shots and she didn't think that it would be good for Gus to be away from his Mema at this time. Debbie had called later and explained that Mel just wouldn't listen to her about Gus, but she did let slip that JR was spending a few days with Michael and that had hurt Brian more than anything else. Brian had laughed and said that Michael fucks up but Brian was the one being punished. This had led to Brian spending most of his time sitting on the patio and staring at nothing. 

Justin reached out to slide open the patio door but just as his fingers grasp the latch the doorbell rang. Taking one last glance at Brian who didn't even look up he sighed and moved to the door.

*****

Brian heard the patio door slide open, turning he expected to see Justin standing there but instead all he saw was a dark haired blur as suddenly his arms were filled with little boy.

"Daddy" Gus yelled as he threw his arms around his father's neck and laughed. "I'm here Daddy. We have a big house"

Brian watched as his son pulled his arms apart as wide as he could. "It's really big" Gus said again.

"Yes it is." Brian pulled his son closer and closed his eyes. When he opened them he spied Justin and Theodore standing in front of him.

"Hello Ted." Brian said pulling his son even closer.

"Hello Bri, I guess you like my special delivery?"

"We love it Ted, thank you." Justin said while smiling at father and son.

"But how?" Brian asks, "She said she..."

Ted shrugged, "She said to tell you that some fears take longer to get over."

Gus squirmed, "Dad you're squishing me flat."

The three adults laughed.

Ted held up an envelope, "I have here an agreement between you and Mel regarding one Gus Peterson-Marcus. It clearly states that for the next two weeks Gus will be staying at Britin and that after those two weeks you will have full visitation, with a schedule to be drawn up at a later date. I already signed as Mel's witness, we just need your and Justin's signatures."

"My signature?" Justin questioned.

"As my other dad." Gus said with the innocence only a child can have. "I have two moms, and two dads."

Brian laughed and proceeded to tickle Gus. "Yes you do, two dads who love you very very much."

******

"So the little shit is saying it's Brian's fault, I can't believe this, he fucks up and he still blames Brian." Justin said as he slammed the refrigerator door shut.

"Justin he's lost Ben and Brian, plus his mother won't talk to him, his blaming Brian is the least of his worries." Ted told him as he accepted the ice tea Justin had fixed for him. He watched as Justin juggled two beers and a small juice in his hands. "And he has agreed to see someone at the GLC, both Debbie and Hunter told him if he doesn't then neither one of them have anything to say to him."

"So is Ben's talking to him, Emmett said he wouldn't take his phone calls?" Justin said as they moved towards the kitchen door, heading back out to the patio.

"No, he's not, and at this point in time it doesn't look like he's going to. He's checking into a professorship at Penn State. And if he gets it he's going to look for an apartment for him and Hunter. Ben said that way Hunter won't have to work two jobs; they can share the expenses for a few years, just until Hunter needs a place of his own."

"Maybe that will be good for Ben, I never thought that Michael deserved him, he's too good, plus he's way to smart to be with someone as stupid as Michael."

Ted grimaced, "Michael's not stupid..."

Justin turned and hooked an eyebrow at Ted.

"Okay, I take it back, he's stupid." Ted said. "But, he's still my friend. Just as Brian is my friend too. And speaking of friends do you think Brian will ever speak to Michael again?"

"I don't know Ted; at the moment he says no, he says that Michael's friendship is not a priority of his anymore."

"For a long time they only had each other." Ted stated.

"But not anymore, Brian's priorities have changed." Justin smiled as he looked out the large glass door they had come to, "But something that Michael should be aware of is that Brian will always be my first priority, and just like Brian I will always take care of my family, I will always protect them even if that means protecting them from Michael."

Ted opened the door and watched as Justin walked through them. He stood for a moment and watched the family of three laughing in front of him.

"And that's the way it should be." Ted said with a smile as he joined them.

The End


End file.
